KOCHI:The Special Investigation and Intelligence Branch (SIIB) of the Customs at the Cochin International airport on Thursday arrested two more ground handling staff of two private agencies in connection with gold smuggling. With this, the total number of people arrested in connection with the case has risen to 19.
The arrested were identified as Siraj T K,26, Thammanam, Kochi, staffer attached with Bird Worldwide Flight Services and Abdul Latheef, 25, of Perumbavoor, staffer attached to a private airliner. They have confessed to the officials that they were instrumental in smuggling out 33 and 25 kg of gold, respectively, out of the airport through domestic terminal at the CIAL, said officials.
The arrested were produced in the court and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
The Customs officials had busted a Muvattupuzha-based smuggling syndicate the other day. Speaking to Express the officials hinted that, since it is a larger syndicate spanning to other airports in the state, more arrests are likely in the coming days.
