Mumbai : Mumbai Customs officials registered a total of six cases and recovered around 7 kg gold worth over Rs 2 crore in last 24 hours on Saturday and arrested three people including one Turkish national in connection with the seizure at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai.
Based on profiling, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted one 26-year-old passenger Abdul Irshad Chelathadathil, resident of Mallapuram district of Kerala, who had come from Sharjah by Air Arabia flight number G9-401. “Personal search of the passenger resulted in recovery of 10 gold bars of 10 tolas each totally weighing 1,160 grams valued at Rs 35.82 lakh which was cleverly concealed in under garments worn by him. He has been arrested,” said Pradynasheel Jumle, Deputy Commissioner of Customs, AIU.
The officer added that Chelathadathil works as a casual labourer in his town. “He was offered to work as a carrier by one Siddique, a Dubai-based trader for a monetary consideration of Rs 20,000 for carrying the said seized gold to Mumbai,” said Jumle.
Another passenger who has been arrested on Saturday was Ziaburahman Thuruthi Mohammed Kunhi (37). Kunhi, resident of Kasaragod (Kerala), who arrived at 4 pm at CSIA holding an Indian passport
“He arrived by Emirates flight number 506 from Dubai. His personal search resulted in recovery of 16 gold bars of 10 tolas each totally weighing 1,866 grams valued at Rs. 57.62 lakh which were concealed in the laptop bag carried by him,” added Jumle.
“Our officers had intercepted Kunhi on February 12 when he arrived at CSIA by Air India flight number 984. He was found to be smuggling a gold coin of 32 gms and 7 cartons of cigarettes,” said Jumle.
The Turkish national, who has been arrested by the Mumbai Customs officials, has been identified as Gokhan Demir.
“Demir arrived from Istanbul by Turkish Airlines flight number TK 720. He was carrying 3 gold bars of 1 kg each totally weighing 1 kg valued at Rs. 92.64 lakh which was cleverly concealed in stitched pouches of specially made belt worn by him,” said Jumle.
Meanwhile, one woman passenger Nayana Shantilal Ghaghada Shaikh, holding a Kenyan passport, was intercepted by AIU officers. She was carrying 7 crude bangles totally weighing 392 grams valued at Rs. 12.10 lakh.
Also, the customs officials recovered 5 gold bars worth 17.91 lakh from a 49-year-old passenger Mohammed Iliyas Urmi Mugu, who is a resident Kasaragod (Kerala). He had arrived from Dubai by Indigo flight. Mugu is a daily-wage labourer and he had concealed the gold bars in his rectum. “He was carrying seized gold belonging to one Mr. Ayub of Dubai to be delivered in Mumbai,” said Jumle.
The Customs officers intercepted one passenger Haresh Vashdev Kukreja, resident of Ulhasnagar, Mumbai. He was supposed to depart to Dubai by Spicejet flight number SG 013. “During personal search of the passenger and examination of his hand baggage resulted in recovery of 1400 US Dollars and 95,000 Saudi Riyals totally equivalent to Rs 18.47 lakh. He had concealed the seized currency in shoes worn by him. The passengers aged 39 years claims to work in business of brokerage in real estate,” said Jumle.
