'Dirty Money’: Five Arrested at Delhi Airport With €164,000 in Their Rectums

Three men and two women were arrested at the Delhi airport; they were trying to smuggle 164,000 euros by hiding the cash in their rectums.

It is one of the biggest seizures of cash by India's customs department in the last five years.

"Five passengers were intercepted after they had boarded the flight. Their detailed personal research resulted in the recovery of [164,000] Euros. They had concealed the money in their rectums," Customs Commissioner Sanjay Mangal told reporters.

The recovered foreign currency was seized under section 110 of India's 1962 Customs Act, and all five were placed under arrest under section 104 of the 1962 Customs Act.

Delhi airport sources told Sputnik that the arrestees were working for a 'Hawala' money laundering syndicate. They had been instructed to hand over the money to a person in Bangkok and from there money would have moved to another destination.

Hawala is the Arabic name for a black market system for the transference of undeclared money by criminal means, whether within a country or abroad. Underworld gangsters, politicians and terrorist groups use these channels to transfer or use their black money abroad.

According to Delhi airport Custom officials, these persons were given Rupees 30000 (USD 448) each and a free return ticket to Bangkok. These persons were trained to conceal the cash and other articles.  All the accused are from Punjab.