Customs officials at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad have recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 7.89 crore from 23 women passengers who arrived from Sudan via Sharjah, officials said on Thursday.

On personal search of the women, who all arrived on Wednesday, and their luggage, a total of 14,906.3 grams of gold was recovered.

This comprised 14,415 grams of 22 carat gold and 491 grams of 24 carat gold.

Based on quantities recovered from individual passengers, four of them were arrested and further investigation is underway, officials added.

The passengers had concealed the gold ornaments in their shoes. This is the biggest gold haul at the airport this year.

On January 11, the customs officials had seized 583.11 grams of gold valued at Rs 33.57 lakhs from a passenger who arrived from Dubai.

He had concealed gold bars in a mobile cover with cellotape.

On January 6, gold worth Rs 77.02 lakhs was seized from four passengers who had arrived from Dubai.

A day earlier, Customs officials had seized gold worth Rs 27.78 lakh from a passenger who had arrived from Dubai.

On January 1, gold worth Rs 16 lakhs was seized from a passenger who came from Dubai.

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