Mumbai Airport Customs officials have arrested three persons, including two Philipines nationals for allegedly smuggling Rs 2.06 crore worth gold.
According to the Customs, on the night duty of 09/10.04.2024 Customs officers received specific information that some international transit passengers were to handover gold to a housekeeping staff named Rubina Bano Khaja Pasha Shaikh, working in a lounge at CSMI Airport, Mumbai. Accordingly, the officers of Customs had reached the spot to identify and conduct personal search of the said housekeeping staff.
"Upon sustained questioning Shaikh admitted that she had received two pouches from the possession of the two foreign nationals in the toilet situated at the lounge and had kept it hidden in the staff toilet of the lounge. Thereafter, the Custom officers in the presence of Shaikh searched the staff toilet and recovered two heavy pouches concealed in two different panties containing gold dust in wax form having net weight 3460 grams valued at Rs 2.06 crore," said a Customs official.
"Voluntary statement of Shaikh was recorded on 10.04.2024 wherein she admitted the possession, carriage, recovery and smuggling of the seized gold. Shaikh admitted that the seized gold did not belong to her and the same belonged to two passengers who had handed over the pouches. She further confirmed the same was done for the monetary consideration of Rs 20,000 which she would receive after delivery of the said goods outside the CSMI Airport, Mumbai," the official said.
The Customs then recorded statement of Mary Jane Mella on 10.04.2024 wherein she admitted the possession, carriage and smuggling of the seized gold. Mella admitted that she handed over the gold dust in wax pouch valued at Rs 1.03 crore to Shaikh. She further confirmed the same was done for the monetary consideration. Similar statement was given by other accused Maila Lacson Ordonez.
Advocate Prabhakar Tripathi who appeared in the court on behalf of all three accused said, "I have submitted before court that recovery was not made from any person as the gold was recovered from toilet and two Phillipines women have nothing to do with the case as they were transit passengers and they were cought on departure. No further investigation was pending therefore Judicial Custody was granted."
