The Tirumala crime police have busted a coins scam at the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala and recovered Rs 16,000 worth of coins from a businessman.

The coins were recovered when a police team raided the businessman's house following a tip-off on Monday.

The money collected in the hundi (sealed vault for offerings at the temple) is counted at special counting centres

and deposited in verious banks twice a week. The coins are packed in bags, each bag containing coins only of one denomination.

Bank officials are present with the temple staff when the offerings are counted.

Police sources said they are investigating the involvement of some bank officials in smuggling the coins out of the temple. 

The temple annually receives coins worth Rs 12 crore.