• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Air hostess arrested after 1kg of gold was found hidden in rectum as more flight crew probed

Home> News> World News

Published 12:10 19 Jan 2025 GMT

Air hostess arrested after 1kg of gold was found hidden in rectum as more flight crew probed

She was only caught because her movements arose suspicions

Joe Yates

Joe Yates

We're all thinking the same thing: how could you fit a kilo of gold up your rear end?

Well, an air hostess managed to take off with 960 grams of gold in her rectum - although she and a fellow cabin crew member were eventually caught when they landed.

Yeah, the pair didn't make off with it, but it seems a little bizarre why anyone would go through the pressure of doing so. Typically, in western countries like the US, Canada and the UK, it's drugs that get couriered up the anus of mules.

But the incident happened in India, where surprisingly, there's a huge market for smuggling gold (we'll dive into why later).

Advert

First, let's talk about 26-year-old air hostess Surabhi Khatun, who worked as a cabin crew member for Air India Express when she was arrested in May last year by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence as her flight from Muscat landed in Kannur International Airport.

Concerns were understood to have been raised as her movement was cited as being suspicious, when officials at customs stopped her for questioning Khatun refused to get an X-ray.

Following her refusal, the official obtained an order from a magistrate to undertake a 'medical examination' - at which point they discovered 960 grams of gold in compound form the Kolkata native's bottom.

Khatun was sentenced to 14 days in a women's prison in Kannur.

Advert

"With a value of $89k. I would have trained a little before moving it. You know like shoving it up my ass and walking around the house with it," one person posted on Reddit.

Surabhi Khatun was arrested for smuggling 960 grams of gold in her rectum (Instagram/surabhi_khatun98)
Surabhi Khatun was arrested for smuggling 960 grams of gold in her rectum (Instagram/surabhi_khatun98)

Her sentencing was the first of its kind, where a member of an airline was caught smuggling gold in their rectum - but it wasn't the first time she had done it.

So why is there a market for gold smuggling in India?

Advert

Back in 2012, the Indian government increased gold import duties by three times to 15 percent - with the country at the time being the biggest gold consumer in the world.

So, to evade high tariffs, people got creative and were prepared to pay 'gold mules' 54,000 rupees per kilogram, about $623 - that was shortly after the tax hike.

By the middle of last year, smugglers were being paid an estimated 1.3 million rupees to do so, around $15,000.

With a higher demand and a lower supply, prices of gold have drastically increased - with smuggled gold coming in a lot cheaper, they can be sold for higher profits.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/mihailomilovanovic/Getty Images/Dragon Claws

Topics: Drugs, India, World News, Crime, Travel, Reddit

Joe Yates
Joe Yates

Joe is a journalist for UNILAD, who particularly enjoys writing about crime. He has worked in journalism for five years, and has covered everything from murder trials to celeb news.

X

@JMYjourno

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

5 mins ago
15 mins ago
an hour ago
  • 5 mins ago

    New dating trend 'relationship anarchy' explained as it helps tackle loneliness but comes with major warning

    Apparently it's all the rage amongst Gen Zers

    News
  • 15 mins ago

    28 Years Later ending explained after haunting Jimmy Savile reference and Jack O'Connell introduction

    The 28 Days Later sequel has finally released

    Film & TV
  • an hour ago

    Telegram founder who has over 100 children around the world reveals how much of his wealth they will inherit

    Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov admitted to having over 100 children via sperm donation

    Technology
  • an hour ago

    Michelle Obama explains why she’s ‘so glad’ she and Barack didn’t have a son

    Michelle and Barack Obama have two children together, Malia, 26 and Sasha, 24

    News
  • Man shocked to learn sole survivor of Air India plane crash was in same seat as him when he also survived flight disaster
  • Pilot of Air India flight may have saved thousands of lives with final heroic act moments before crash
  • Woman speaks out about 'miracle' after being turned away from Air India flight for shocking reason before it crashed killing 241
  • Police confirm 1 survivor found after Air India plane with 242 on board crashed shortly after takeoff