Watch: Customs seizes Rs 27 crore wrist watch at Delhi airport

New Delhi, Oct 06: An Indian national trying to smuggle expensive Jacob & Co Billionaire White Diamonds watch and Piaget watches, an iPhone 14 and a diamond-studded gold bracelet was arrested by Customs at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport.

Reportedly, it is the biggest seizure, in value terms, of commercial or luxury goods. The valuables is equivalent to seizing around 60 kgs of gold in one instance.

"The detailed examination of the baggage and personal search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of seven wrist watches - Jacob & Co (model: BL115.30a), Piaget limelight stella (SI.No.1250352 P11179), Rolex oyster perpetual date just (Sl. No. Z7J 12418), Rolex oyster perpetual date just (SI. No. 0C46G2 17), Rolex oyster perpetual date just (SI. No. ZV655573), Rolex oyster perpetual date just (Sl. No. 237Q 5385) and Rolex oyster perpetual date just (Sl. No. 86 1R9269), an official statement said.

One of the watches of Jacob & Co is worth Rs 27.09 crore alone, it added.

Besides these watches, a diamond-studded gold bracelet and an iPhone 14 Pro 256 GB having a total value of Rs 28.17 crore were also recovered from the passenger, said the statement issued by Delhi Customs.

The watches were seized and the passenger was arrested, it said.

A senior customs official said the accused passenger and his uncle have a retail outlet of expensive watches in Dubai with branches at other places in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"He was carrying them for delivery to a high-profile client in Delhi. The passenger was to meet this client, said to be from Gujarat, at a five star hotel in Delhi. The client did not turn up for the meeting. So far, the accused has also not disclosed the name of the client saying he fears for his life," an official told PTI.

An alert customs officers at Delhi Airport has made this (seizure) possible in spite of having such high passenger traffic.