Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs Department arrested an airport employee who was helping in evacuation of smuggled gold from Mumbai airport. The name of the employee is Abhishek and Customs has seized smuggled gold worth Rs 1.97 crore from him. The accused was produced in the court and sentenced to 14 days judicial custody.
According to the details received in this regard, there are counters of various mobile companies at every international airport where foreign citizens can buy a SIM card of any country by showing their passport. There are such counters at Mumbai International Airport also. Where the smugglers used to deposit the smuggled gold at a particular place at a short distance from this counter, from where the accused would pick up the quantity of gold and keep it in a glove bag or his jacket. Since the accused had an airport entry pass, he was allowed to go in and out of the airport by showing this pass. Taking advantage of this concession he helped the smugglers.
Similarly, on Monday, when he was coming out with smuggled gold, he was stopped by officials of Customs' air intelligence unit, who were suspicious of him. When officials searched his bag and jacket, they found three packets of gold worth Rs 1.97 crore. When customs officials detained him and interrogated him further, he reportedly confessed that he had smuggled gold through the airport in this manner ten times in the past one month. He would hand over the quantity. He was also given a good commission for this work.
Officials are investigating whether any other airport employee is also involved in this gold smuggling.