KOCHI: The Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch of the Cochin Customs on Wednesday arrested 11 people, including eight ground handling staff of the Cochin International Airport and three members of Muvattupuzha-based smuggling syndicate in connection with the smuggling of gold through the airport. With this, the total number of people arrested in connection with the case has risen to 17.
The arrested were identified as Ameer Mainkutty, 42, owner of Jewel Park Jewellery, Muvattupuzha, and his two associates P M Abdul Majeed,48, and Sudheer V A, 38, both belong to Muvattupuzha and the ground handling staff of Bird Worldwide Flight Services Prasannan P K, 53, of Thevera, Kochi, Anilkumar K M, 26, of Kottayam, Sree Valsan C K, 35, of Chowara near Aluva, Arshad K, 28, of Aluva, Githin N T, 28, of Thrissur, Arun Balakrishnan, 27, of Aluva, Githin P R, 26, of Angamali, and Shefil A B, 28, of Edappilly.
Two members of the smuggling syndicate Faisal and Fazil of Muvattupuzha are absconding. According to Customs officials, the modus operandi of the smuggling syndicate was to use carrier passengers to bring gold to Cochin airport where the gold is either left in the bus ferrying passengers from the aircraft to the terminal to be retrieved by officials of the BWFS or handed over directly to them. The officials used to conceal the contraband in their dress or within their shoes and take it outside the terminal and hand them over to members of the smuggling syndicate. All the employees of the BWFS who had taken part in smuggling of gold bars had done so for monetary benefits, the officials said. The officials seized gold ornaments of 3.5 kg from the jewellery of the kingpin of the syndicate. However, the officials said that they had smuggled out over 200 kg of gold.
