The dust had barely settled on the Minissha Lamba customs controversy, when another actress was caught under similar circumstances.
Bipasha Basu was detained by custom officials at the Mumbai international airport for apparently carrying undeclared valuables. The jewellery the actress carried, it seems, was worth more than the amount she had declared.
She was later cleared of the charges and allowed to leave. Bipasha later released a statement: "It was just a routine check-up at the airport. Many
others were being checked as well. All that I have in my bags are the clothes I had shopped for and hence had excess baggage for which I paid approximately
10,000 as taxes. I think the customs team is doing an excellent job."
Just last Wednesday,
Minissha Lamba was stopped by the customs department on her return from Cannes. She too was carrying undeclared jewellery, which had been lent to her by Mumbai-based Anmol Jewellers.
She was detained for 16 hours, after the jewellers presented documents proving the jewellery had been loaned to her.