Malappuram: A 46-year-old man was arrested on Thursday, allegedly after attempting to smuggle a gold mixture weighing 656 grams through the Calicut International Airport by concealing it inside his body.

The accused, identified as Nelliparamban Abdurahiman (46), a native of Pallikkal, arrived from Jeddah at around 11 pm on Wednesday. According to police, the suspect was intercepted in the International Arrivals terminal after he was found behaving suspiciously. During questioning, he admitted to smuggling gold. A subsequent medical examination led to the recovery of two capsules concealed inside his body, containing a gold mixture weighing 656 grams.

Police said the gold had been converted into a gold mixture by blending finely powdered gold with other substances and chemicals. This process makes the material easier to mould into capsule-shaped forms, allowing it to be concealed inside the body for smuggling.

The operation was carried out by a team led by Inspector P K Padmarajan of the Karipur Police, with assistance from the Malappuram District Police Chief's Special Squad. 
Investigation is on to determine the source of the gold mixture and the intended destination of the smuggled item.