The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs in two separate cases have arrested four persons, including three Kenyan national women for allegedly smuggling gold collectively worth Rs 5.85 crore. The investigations have revealed that the accused in both the cases had purchased the gold from abroad and were supposed to sell the gold in the local market in India to make profits from the same.
According to the Customs, in the first case, three Kenyan passengers - Samira Mohamed Abdi, Feiza Abdi Dekh Hassan and Fardowsa Ahmed Abdi arrived at CSMI Airport on Saturday from Addis Ababa. All the three passengers approached the Red Channel counter and informed that they wanted to declare the gold items which they had in their possession. However it was found that the same was mis-declared as the actual weight was in excess of what the three passengers declared.
"The personal search of Samira Mohamed Abdi resulted in the recovery of 11 gold bars which were kept inside the underwear and brassiere by the said passenger. The other two passengers Feiza Abdi Dekh Hassan and Fardowsa Ahmed Abdi admitted that they had given the said gold bars to Samira Mohamed Abdi for concealment. The passengers were found smuggling gold melted bars having net weight 4483 grams, all collectively valued at Rs 2.60 crore.
He added, "In their voluntary statements the accused passengers admitted the possession, carriage, recovery and smuggling and handling of gold. The passenger admitted that the gold belonged to them and they had purchased the said gold from one Ahmed who is residing at Isli, Nairobi on credit. They were supposed to sell the gold in the local market in India and the profits from the same they were supposed to take back to Nairobi. They knew that there was a huge difference in the value of gold in India and value of gold in Nairobi and they were supposed to make a good profit. Accordingly, the accused three passengers were placed under arrest."
In another case on Saturday, the AIU officials had intercepted one passenger, a resident of Tardeo, who had arrived from Dubai. In a personal search of the passenger, gold bars having net weight 5127 grams recovered from the passenger, all collectively valued at Rs 3.24 crore which he was trying to smuggle in India. "The passenger admitted that the gold belonged to him and he had purchased the said gold from Dubai and was supposed to sell the gold in the local market in India to make profits from the same. He knew that there was a huge difference in the value of gold in India and value of gold in Dubai and he was supposed to make a good profit.
