Afghanistan’s ambassador confronts customs officers while smuggling gold

Amaravati: A high-ranking woman officer was caught by customs officials while smuggling gold and had to resign as ambassador. At the same time, 25 kg gold worth Rs. 18.6 crores was illegally brought to India from abroad and was in the news. She is Zakia Wardak (58) who is the Ambassador of Afghanistan (Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in India). On the 25th of last month at 5:45 pm, he reached India from Dubai along with his son on an Emirates flight. As soon as she landed at Chhatrapati International Airport in Mumbai, she came out of the airport through the green channel as an ambassador. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (D.R.I) received information in advance that Wardak was smuggling gold.
Being a diplomat, she was exempted from inspections. DRI officials stopped her at the airport exit and talked about smuggling. When she was asked whether they were carrying gold or any other items, she replied that they did not have any such things. As a result, the officers took Wardak to a room and checked with the female officers, but her whole body was exposed. During these checks, 25 gold biscuits were found in her jacket, leggings and knee cap. No gold was found with her son. The officials were surprised to see the diplomat smuggling gold. When the DRI officials asked Wardak to show the correct documents regarding the gold, she could not show it, so the officials seized the gold. A case of gold smuggling has been registered against the Afghan diplomat under the Customs Act, 1962. But as Wardak had diplomatic protection, the police let her go without arresting her.