Pune: Sleuths of the air intelligence unit (AIU) of the Pune Customs commissionerate on Friday nabbed two persons, including a staff of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), at the Pune International Airport at Lohegaon, and seized 2.116-kg gold bars, worth Rs 58.71 lakhs, which was smuggled in from Dubai.
The arrested have been identified as Mohammed Mohsin Mobin Shaikh of Mumbai and AAI's senior attendant (housekeeping) Basheer Shaikh. Officials are now investigating Basheer's suspected involvment in other cases in the past as it has a nexus between smugglers and airport staff has often been suspected. Pune is thought to be an important transit point for smugglers following tightening of security at the Mumbai airport, which was traditionally preferred by smugglers flying in from Dubai.
According to the Customs department, Mohsin reached Pune via an Air India Express flight on Friday. "Based on intelligence input, sleuths intercepted Basheer while he was having a suspicious conversation with Mohsin. Subsequent investigation resulted in the seizure of three gold bars, two weighing one kg each and another 10-tola bar. Mohsin had handed over these gold bars to Basheer, who was supposed give them to someone, who would approach him at the washroom near the immigration counter.
26/10/14 Mubarak Ansari/Pune Mirror
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The arrested have been identified as Mohammed Mohsin Mobin Shaikh of Mumbai and AAI's senior attendant (housekeeping) Basheer Shaikh. Officials are now investigating Basheer's suspected involvment in other cases in the past as it has a nexus between smugglers and airport staff has often been suspected. Pune is thought to be an important transit point for smugglers following tightening of security at the Mumbai airport, which was traditionally preferred by smugglers flying in from Dubai.
According to the Customs department, Mohsin reached Pune via an Air India Express flight on Friday. "Based on intelligence input, sleuths intercepted Basheer while he was having a suspicious conversation with Mohsin. Subsequent investigation resulted in the seizure of three gold bars, two weighing one kg each and another 10-tola bar. Mohsin had handed over these gold bars to Basheer, who was supposed give them to someone, who would approach him at the washroom near the immigration counter.
26/10/14 Mubarak Ansari/Pune Mirror
