KOCHI:
The Officers of Air Intelligence Unit, Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery, effected three seizures. The first seizure was from a Malappuram passenger who arrived by Saudi Airlines flight No.SV 784 from Jeddah. He was carrying a speaker woofer system having two transformers inside it.
In one transformer gold shaped into wire rolls were cleverly concealed by winding into it. He also concealed two gold biscuits in his person. In another case, a passenger of Bhatkal, Karnataka who arrived from Dubai in Jet Airways flight No.9W0527 was intercepted at the exit gate of the arrival hall by air intelligence officers. On a thorough personal search four gold biscuits cleverly concealed under the feet with adhesive tapes (two biscuits in each feet) were retrieved.
The third case was from Air Arabia flight No.G9 0427 wherein a passenger from Palakkad was carrying several perfume bottles. Gold in granular form was concealed inside the top portion of the lid of the perfume bottles. The new techniques and novel modus operandi of the gold smugglers coming from different countries was successfully busted due to the alertness of the officers of the Air Intelligence Unit deployed in the airport.
The total quantity of gold seized from all the three seizures is 3.18 kilograms and the value is ascertained to be 97.77 lakhs. Two persons were arrested and further investigation is in progress.
The seizure was effected as per the directions of Principal Commissioner of Customs Pullela Nageswara Rao and Additional Commissioner S Anilkumar. The Air Intelligence team which effected the seizures was led by Assistant Commissioners Roy Varghese, E.V Sivaraman and Supdt. of Customs K.S Bijumon, K.G Sreekumar, Sathish K and Inspectors, Prashant Ranjan, M. Suresh and Head Havildar Shijumon P.K.
