Mumbai, Jan 21: Mumbai Airport Customs officers have busted an international gold smuggling syndicate and arrested a Sri Lankan national and a contractual staff member working inside the airport for their alleged involvement in smuggling.
Officials have also seized gold worth Rs 1.17 crore from the accused and stated that, if left unchecked, the modus operandi—misusing staff working inside the airport and transit passengers—is likely to be exploited by smugglers on a larger scale and may also be used for smuggling other contraband items, which could be detrimental to national security.
Specific intelligence leads to arrests
According to Customs officials, specific information was received that a transit passenger was involved in gold smuggling and was likely to hand over the consignment to a staff member working in the departure area of Mumbai airport.
Acting on the input, a staff member, M. M. Harsath, from Tamil Nadu, and a passenger, Mohamed Adam, a Sri Lankan national, were apprehended after the staff member was found taking possession of a consignment containing two packets of gold dust in wax, with a net weight of 870 grams valued at Rs 1.17 crore, from the passenger inside a washroom near the departure area.
Accused admit roles
“In his statement, Mohamed Adam admitted the possession, carriage, smuggling, handling and recovery of gold. He also admitted that the gold dust did not belong to him and that he carried it at the behest of someone. The staff worker, Harsath, admitted receiving gold from the passenger for a monetary consideration of Rs 15,000. Both were arrested on Tuesday. The investigation in this case is at a preliminary stage, and the entire nexus, including the involvement of handlers, financiers and other conspirators, is yet to be revealed by the accused and the passenger,” said a Customs officer.
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Earlier arrest
On Sunday, Mumbai Airport Customs officers had arrested a Bangladeshi national and a contractual staff member working inside the airport for their alleged involvement in smuggling gold worth Rs 2.15 crore.
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