Mangaluru: Customs officers at the Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) have seized 3,124.54 gm of 24 carat purity gold valued at over Rs 1.59 crore from October 8 to 21.

The gold valued at Rs 1,59,66,883 was seized from five male passengers who arrived from Dubai, a customs release here said Saturday.

The gold was smuggled through different modus operandi like concealment in the paste powder form mixed with solid gum inside jeans, trousers and inner wears worn by the passengers.

Concealing the gold in the rectum and through towels dipped into some solution containing gold were other means of smuggling, the release said.