Indian cricketer Krunal Pandya was detained in Mumbai on suspicion of smuggling gold.
The Mumbai Indians all-rounder was on his way back from the UAE after the team won the Indian Premier League title in Dubai on Tuesday.
According to the ANI news agency, Pandya, 29, was questioned by Indian authorities at Mumbai International Airport on suspicion of possessing an undisclosed quantity of gold and other valuables.
The incident is being investigated by India’s Directorate of Revenue, which enforces India’s customs laws.
Smuggling gold into India, the world’s biggest consumer of the precious metal after China, has been increasing since 2013.
The surge came after the government raised the import tax to 10 per cent, followed by another rise to 12.5 per cent last year.
Up to 95 tonnes of gold was smuggled into India in 2018, according to the World Gold Council.
But that figure is expected to decline this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, an airline passenger was arrested for attempting to smuggle gold foil hidden around bars of chocolate. In October, Indian customs officials arrested a passenger who travelled from Dubai, after they found almost about 500 grams of gold in his body.
Authorities in the UAE and India launched investigations into gold smuggling in July after customs officials in India thwarted an attempt to smuggle Dh7 million worth of gold from the UAE to Kerala.
The IPL was played in the UAE this year – also due to the pandemic.
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Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
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Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
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Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
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Started: 2021
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Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
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