KOCHI: The directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) has started a probe into an instance of a gold smuggler hoodwinking them at the Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial), despite having prior information. A Sri Lankan national had reportedly arrived at the airport in Spice Jet carrying 4.5 kg of contraband gold on Sunday.
Following a tip-off, the DRI conducted a search and caught the Sri Lankan citizen, but couldn't recover the gold from him. "We are probing why the operation failed despite a tip-off," said a DRI official.
According to sources, the Sri Lankan national had admitted during interrogation that he had handed over the gold to another passenger on board the flight. If the information given by Sri Lankan citizen is true, the passenger to whom he handed over the gold would have escaped. The unknown passenger might have handed it over to a third person before walking out of the airport. "Some of the officials with enforcement agencies may have helped him to escape," sources said.
16/06/15 TNN/The Times Of India
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Following a tip-off, the DRI conducted a search and caught the Sri Lankan citizen, but couldn't recover the gold from him. "We are probing why the operation failed despite a tip-off," said a DRI official.
According to sources, the Sri Lankan national had admitted during interrogation that he had handed over the gold to another passenger on board the flight. If the information given by Sri Lankan citizen is true, the passenger to whom he handed over the gold would have escaped. The unknown passenger might have handed it over to a third person before walking out of the airport. "Some of the officials with enforcement agencies may have helped him to escape," sources said.
16/06/15 TNN/The Times Of India
