Actor Ranya Rao has claimed that she had smuggled gold from Dubai for the first time when she was caught at the Bengaluru airport earlier this month. The 33-year-old actor has also detailed how she was handed over the gold consignment at the Dubai airport and how she had concealed it to avoid getting caught by customs officials.
Ms Rao, the stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer, was arrested at the Bengaluru airport on March 3 with 14 kg gold concealed in her clothing, with officials suspecting a huge syndicate behind the smuggling racket.
During her interrogation, she said she had received an internet call and was asked to collect the gold from Gate A of Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. She was asked to look for a man in a white gown near an espresso machine in the dining lounge.
She did as she was told and collected two packets from him. The gold was wrapped in “thick tarpaulin plastic” material, showed a leaked document detailing the authorities’ objection to her bail request.
Ms Rao said the “unknown person” was six feet tall and had a wheatish complexion. He had a rough American accent and wore a white gown. During the brief meeting, he took her to a corner and handed over the gold, she told the officers.
She then went to the washroom near the dining lounge to check the packets and found 12 gold bars and some cut pieces inside. The actor wrapped the gold bars around her calf muscle and waist using an adhesive tape, and put the smaller pieces in her shoes and pockets.
For more ideas, she even opened YouTube and went through tutorials on how to conceal gold in one’s body, the document read.
Actor Ranya Rao has claimed that she had smuggled gold from Dubai for the first time when she was caught at the Bengaluru airport earlier this month.
