Vasco (Goa) The Customs officials at Dabolim Airport today apprehended arrested Karnataka native for trying to smuggle 4.5 kg of saffron in India from Dubai.

The customs officials claimed to have “nabbed the accused” today after he arrived at 4 a.m. from Dubai via Muscar on Oman Airways flight and opted green channel for his customs clearance in his unsuccessful attempt to smuggle Saffron in India.

The goods are seized under the provisions of customs act.

Additional Commissioner of Customs G  B Santimano told reporters that this is the second case made within a week as the same modus operandi was detected earlier in the case of a Mumbai based passenger who was apprehended with 10 kgs of saffron.

He said that the department expects saffron detection to increase over the next few days as the commodity used to making sweets, gains in value during the festive season.

Santimano said that the department has valued a kilogram of saffron at around Rs 1.5 lakh but it is twice the value in the retail market with a kilogram of saffron in the retail market can cost around Rs 2.5-3 lakh depending on its purity and grade.