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Ahmedabad: For gadget lovers looking to own premium devices at competitive prices, a rare opportunity is coming up at the city airport. The Customs department at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) will conduct an e-auction of 87 seized iPhones and 27 luxury watches on May 8 , marking the first such large-scale exercise in nearly a decade .
The auction will feature iPhone models ranging from the 11 to 15 series , along with Apple Watch Series 6 and several high-end foreign-brand watches. All items were confiscated between 2019 and 2023 after being illegally brought into the country, officials said.
According to Customs officials, the initiative is aimed not only at recovering government revenue but also at highlighting the rising trend of electronic goods smuggling through airports .
Additional Commissioner of Customs Sriram Bishnoi said the auction will be conducted online, and a public display of the items is also being arranged at the airport. “As per our knowledge, such an auction is being conducted after almost eight to ten years,” he said.
Interested bidders can participate through the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited platform. Individuals and organisations registered on MSTCL will be eligible to bid, while new users can also sign up before the auction. The seized items have been divided into separate lots , and bidders will need to deposit a fixed Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) to participate.
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Officials said Ahmedabad airport has witnessed repeated attempts by smuggling syndicates to bring in premium smartphones, smartwatches, laptops and other gadgets through passengers posing as regular travellers. Electronic goods have now become one of the most commonly smuggled items after gold and narcotics , they added.
Smugglers often attempt to evade customs duty by carrying multiple devices from international destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah .
In recent cases, Customs officials detected high-value consignments. On July 3, 2025 , a passenger arriving from Abu Dhabi was intercepted with 15 iPhone 16 Pro devices, four Apple Watches and saffron , collectively valued at around ₹24 lakh . In another case on July 19 , a woman passenger arriving from Sharjah was found carrying 12 iPhone 16 Pro devices, four Apple Watches, a laptop and saffron worth ₹44.9 lakh .
The upcoming auction is expected to draw strong interest from buyers , especially those looking for premium Apple devices and luxury watches at potentially lower prices through a government-backed process.
Interested bidders are strongly advised to inspect the material before bidding.
