CISF personnel detected foreign currency worth approximately Rs 1.14 crore concealed in the hand baggage of two passengers at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport, Kolkata, on October 19, a Public Relations Officer of the CISF said in an official statement, ANI reported on Wednesday.

At around 10:20 a.m., during security screening at the International Terminal Security Hold Area, an on-duty CISF screener noticed suspicious images in the X-ray scan of the hand baggage of two passengers scheduled to travel to Bangkok by Bhutan Airlines flight B3700. The baggage was referred for physical checking, the PRO said.

During the physical examination, CISF personnel recovered US $119,900 — equivalent to approximately Rs 1,13,64,002 (yaani about Rs 1.14 crore) — concealed in the false bottoms of the two bags. The currency had been wrapped in newspaper. Of the total, US $74,900 was recovered from one passenger's hand baggage, while US $45,000 was recovered from the other passenger's bag, according to the statement.

One passenger taken to court, the other released with a detention receipt

After the prescribed formalities, both passengers, along with the recovered foreign currency, were handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs for further action, the PRO said. On October 20, the passenger from whose baggage US $74,900 had been recovered was taken by AIU and Customs officials to the District and Sessions Court for further legal proceedings following the investigation and seizure.

The other passenger was released by Customs after the issuance of a detention receipt for the US $45,000 recovered from that passenger's baggage, the statement added. The CISF said the detection underscored the alertness of its screening personnel at the airport.

Customs investigators will now have to establish where the dollars came from and where they were meant to go — the court proceedings against the first passenger are the next step on record.