Gold in footwear: Ranya Rao’s smuggling plan fails at security check

Kannada actor Ranya Rao insisted she did not need to declare anything at the green channel when DRI officials indicated through their metal detector that they had detected something on her.The DRI presented to India Today an arrest memo which revealed that Rao did not show documentation for the purchased gold items valued at ₹12.56 crores.

DRI officers stopped her at the airport

A green channel functions as the designated customs clearance area for flight passengers without tax payable or restricted items during immigration screening. Ranya Rao received an Emirates EK 566 plane from Dubai to Bengaluru at 6:30 pm on March 3 during which time DRI officers stopped her at the airport.

Dutiable goods and permit passengers to continue after proper payment of duties

During the check of the green channel the actor rejected any possession of dutiable items or contraband or gold stocks. The DRI officers became aware of hidden objects through the metal detector which she was wearing. All passengers must declare their dutiable or prohibited items at the red channel to the customs officers before getting allowed through the customs process. The customs officers examine every item before calculating responsibility taxes on dutiable goods and permit passengers to continue after proper payment of duties.

The DRI arrest memo revealed that Ranya Rao applied gold bars as wearable abdominal and leg accessories

The DRI arrest memo showed that Rao secured the gold bars by wrapping them with bandages and tissues that covered her waist and calves. Rao concealed further small gold bars along with broken pieces inside her shoes and front pockets and inside the bandages that she wore around her waist and calves.