BAKU, July 18 — Customs officers at Baku’s international airport have intercepted an attempt to smuggle nearly 112 carats of diamonds into the country, the State Customs Committee reported Thursday.
The diamonds — weighing a total of 111.95 carats — were found during a routine inspection of a passenger’s hand luggage. The individual, a citizen of Azerbaijan, had arrived on a flight from Istanbul.
The undeclared gems were discovered concealed inside a wallet, divided among seven small plastic bags. Authorities say the diamonds were not disclosed in the customs declaration.
An investigation into the attempted smuggling is underway.