DELHI: Authorities have busted a foreign currency and gold smuggling syndicate allegedly led by a national-level hockey player, while exposing a chink in Delhi airport’s security system.
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence sleuths arrested Virender Verma and his alleged associates, Rohit Vij and Ankush Khurana, at the IGI airport last week with euros and US dollars worth Rs 4.47 crore.
It is claimed that the Delhi-based player and his aides received the foreign currency from two carriers who boarded a flight to Mumbai after handing over the money.The duo – named as Pawan and Radhesh – were also arrested in Mumbai.
“The syndicate adopted a unique modus operandi by handing over a bag containing foreign currencies to passengers travelling by international flights on the domestic route and collecting the same after the security and immigration check,” the directorate said.
Last month, the customs department arrested three men and two women at the airport, who were trying to smuggle euros worth Rs 1.25 crore by stuffing the cash in their rectums.
Sources said that during questioning Virender claimed he belongs to a respectable family in Delhi. However, he has been involved in the smuggling of gold and foreign currency since last year and had travelled to many countries with the illicit cash at least thirty times.
He was arrested in 2015 with 9 kg of gold and Rs 80 lakh in foreign currency, but got bail. He then went back to smuggling – only to be caught again.
If Virender and his associates had succeeded in smuggling the currency they would have made six to seven lakh rupees since they evaded the tax due on foreign exchange.
According to rules, a passenger must make a declaration at the international airport if he or she is carrying foreign currency notes worth more than $5,000 or the equivalent.
As per the plan, the three men were to catch a plane to Hong Kong while the carriers had booked tickets for Mumbai so their flight times would match. They met in the common lounge where international and domestic passengers assemble after security checks.
Before entering the airport, the carriers were given the currency as they had to take a domestic flight for which checks are not stringent.
They managed to clear the security area without the cash being detected and handed it over to Virender and his aides.
All five accused were booked under sections 135 and 135 A of Customs Act 1962. DRI is now in the process of reporting the matter to the Enforcement Directorate since the issue also involves violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act apart from Income Tax rules.
The carriers arrested in Mumbai were brought to Delhi on transit remand. All five people were produced in court on Monday and were remanded in judicial custody for fourteen days.
