Nedumbassery: The recent witch-hunt for gold smugglers in airports have prompted smugglers to invent new methods to walk past customs.

But a youngster’s attempt to smuggle in gold hidden under his wig failed to hoodwink the customs officials at Cochin International Airport on Friday. It was the first time they are encountering such a method, said the customs officials.

Nishad, a resident of Malappuram, had landed at the airport from Sharjah in an Air Arabia flight with 1.13 kg of gold on Friday morning.

He had shaved off the middle portion of his hair to conceal gold in compound form in a special envelope under a wig. The customs officials who grew suspicious seeing the wig asked him to remove it and found the valuable contents.