Gadget enthusiasts and bargain hunters may want to mark May 8 on their calendars. The Customs department at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad will conduct an online auction of 87 seized iPhones and 27 luxury foreign watches the first large-scale e-auction of confiscated items at the airport in nearly eight to ten years.
The auction includes iPhone models from the iPhone 11 series through to the iPhone 15 series, Apple Watch Series 6, and several luxury watches from foreign brands. All items were seized by Customs officials between 2019 and 2023 after being illegally brought into the country.
Additional Commissioner of Customs Sriram Bishnoi confirmed the auction, adding that a display of all items is also being arranged at the airport ahead of the sale. “As per our knowledge, such an auction is being conducted after almost eight to ten years,” he said.
How to Participate
Interested buyers can place bids through the website of Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTCL). Both individuals and organisations registered on the platform are eligible to bid online. New users can register before participating. Seized phones and watches have been divided into separate lots, and bidders are required to deposit a fixed Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) before joining the auction.
Smuggling Trend Behind the Seizures
Officials said the auction also underscores a growing pattern of electronic goods smuggling through Indian airports. According to Customs sources, electronic gadgets have become one of the most heavily smuggled categories after gold and narcotics, with smuggling syndicates frequently using carriers posing as regular passengers to bring in premium smartphones, smartwatches, and laptops from destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
Major Smuggling Cases at SVPIA in 2025
Two significant interceptions were recorded at the airport last year. On July 3, 2025, Customs officials intercepted a male passenger arriving on an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi and recovered 15 iPhone 16 Pro devices, four Apple Watches, and approximately 9.5 kg of saffron with the total seized goods valued at approximately Rs 24 lakh.
In a separate incident on July 19, a woman passenger arriving from Sharjah was found carrying 12 iPhone 16 Pro devices, four Apple Watches, one laptop, and 10 kg of saffron, with the combined value estimated at approximately Rs 44.9 lakh.
-
-
-
-
