NEW DELHI: The probe into the operation of a Muvattupuzha-based gold smuggling racket through the Cochin International Airport Limited received a crucial breakthrough with the Customs Special Intelligence and Investigation sleuths arresting a police officer along with his father and younger brother.
The arrested official has been identified as Jibin K. Basheer, 28, a civil police officer from Muvattupuzha, who worked on deputation as a security assistant at the emigration wing here, said officials. The other two apprehended by police are Basheer, 52, his father, and Nibin K. Basheer, 25, his younger brother.
“Investigations revealed that Jibin had played a key role in the racket. Earlier on Saturday, we had also searched his home and he was arrested after being summoned for an interrogation,” said K.N. Raghavan, Commissioner of customs.
During the interrogation, he confessed to smuggling out about 1,500 kg of gold through the international airport here during the past one and half years. Jibin had been working at the airport from 2011 till April 2015. “Jibin used to take delivery of gold consignments from carriers at the emigration desk and would keep it inside the flush tank of a bathroom near the immigration hall. He would then take it out of the terminal by concealing it inside his waist belt and place it inside his car. Later, Nibin and Basheer would come to the airport in another car and take Jibin’s vehicle out of the airport,” officials said. Investigations so far have revealed that the accused were acting hand in glove with Noushad of Muvattupuzha, who had masterminded the smuggling operations.
Jibin is estimated to have received a commission of around Rs 8 crore for facilitating gold smuggling. Of this, he spent about Rs. 2.5 crore for a shopping mall near Muvattupuzha and Rs. 75 lakh for purchasing a house. The remaining amount was spent on buying luxury cars and other real estate properties.
The gold smuggled in by the racket is suspected to have been handed over to a major jewellery group in the state.
Jibin and Nibin were produced before the Ernakulam additional chief judicial magistrate (economic offence) in the evening and remanded to custody. Basheer will be produced before the court on Monday.
The case pertains to the seizure of 13 kg of gold beneath the seats of two ferry coaches and the arrest of Salim, who landed here from Dubai on May 25.
