Customs seizes 12 iPhone 16s at Delhi airport in second major bust since October 1
PTC News Desk: Delhi customs officials have intercepted a group of four passengers attempting to smuggle 12 of Apple's newly launched iPhone 16 Pro Max devices into India. The incident took place on Tuesday when the passengers arrived at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on an Indigo flight (6E-1464) from Dubai.
In a statement shared on their official social media account, Delhi Customs said, "Customs@IGI Airport seized 12 iPhone 16 Pro Max from a group of four passengers trying to smuggle these iPhones from Dubai by Indigo flight 6E-1464 on 01.10.2024."
The iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple’s flagship model in the latest smartphone series that was launched worldwide just last month, has quickly become a target for smugglers due to its high demand and premium price tag.
This seizure marks the second significant bust of iPhone 16 Pro Max devices at Delhi's international airport in recent days. Just days earlier, customs officials seized 26 of the same model hidden in a vanity bag carried by a woman passenger arriving from Hong Kong.
The woman, in her late thirties, was intercepted by customs officers upon her arrival. A detailed search of her person and baggage revealed the concealed smartphones, wrapped in tissue papers and tucked inside her vanity bag.
"On a detailed personal and baggage search of the passenger, 26 iPhone 16 Pro Max concealed in her vanity bag wrapped in tissue papers were recovered," the customs department said in a statement regarding the earlier bust.
With two major iPhone 16 Pro Max smuggling attempts foiled within days, customs officials are intensifying their scrutiny to curb the illegal import of high-end electronics.
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- With inputs from agencies
