KOCHI: Constable Basheer had worked at the immigration wing as a security assistant from 2011 to April, 2015, but got involved in the smuggling for one-and-a-half year starting from November, 2013.
While probing into a gold smuggling racket, the Customs at Kochi International Airport has found that a state police constable, who had worked at the immigration wing until recently, had smuggled out 1500 kg of gold worth Rs 400 crore in a span of one-and-a-half years.
The arrested cop Jabin K Basheer, 28, had pocketed Rs 8 crore from the smuggling, which had his father A K Basheer and brother Nibin, all hailing from Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam, as the members of the racket.
Last month, their relative Naushad, who is suspected as the leader of a major smuggling and hawala network, was arrested after the customs busted smuggling group involving the staff at the airport.
As many as 32 persons, including eight ground staff belonging to Bird Worldwide Flight Services, have been arrested in connection with the case, which began with the seizure of 13 kg gold from a bus ferrying passengers to the aircraft to the terminal on May 25.
Constable Basheer had worked at the immigration wing as a security assistant from 2011 to April, 2015, but got involved in the smuggling for one-and-a-half year starting from November, 2013. He had been dropped from airport duty following an intelligence report about his links with the smugglers.
Customs sources the role of Basheer came to the fore after the arrest of his relative and hawala kingpin Naushad.
On Basheer’s modus operandi, Customs officials said the passengers, who doubled up as gold carriers, would abandon the smuggled gold bars in the toilet at the immigration hall. It would be deposited at the air-conditioner or at the flush tank. Later, Basheer would go to the toilet and collect them, which would be concealed in his belt which had inbuilt pockets to hold the gold bars. Later, he would conceal the smuggled gold in his car, parked outside the airport. His brother Nibin would come in another car to the airport and return with the golden car to home town Muvattupuzha, where father Basheer would sell the bars to jewellery groups.
On most occasions, the trained carriers brought 10 kg of gold with each bar weighing one kg. Being an immigration staff, Basheer managed to move freely in the airport.
Customs sources said Basheer had hailed from a poor family and his father had been running a ration outlet. Local people at Muvattupuzha had even raised money for the treatment of the senior Basheer when he had fallen ill a few years back, which indicated the penury of the family. Basheer had his marriage before joining police, but recently got separated after his wealth profile changed.
Sources said the Basheer family had invested the ill-gotten money in real estate business. They had bought shopping malls, palatial houses and costly cars during the last one year. Besides, plots of land have been purchased in several parts of Muvattupuzha. The family amassing properties had left the people astounded, but they did get little clue about the source of income. The Customs raided the properties and has initiated steps for freezing them.
