Kochi: A preliminary investigation into the gold smuggling cases at the Kochi airport showed that the four airport employees who were taken into custody on Tuesday were instrumental in smuggling in more than 100 kg of gold into the State within a short span of time.
According to official records, the Customs Department had seized 82.23 kg of gold in the last fiscal year, and arrested 40 persons in connection with 130 cases registered during the year.
According to the officials, the airport staff in their custody used to transport smuggled gold out of the airport in ferry buses. Though aerobridges have been set up to facilitate easy transit of passengers, the facility is not being used by certain aircraft due to technical reasons. Taking advantage of this lacuna, the gold carriers would conceal the contraband inside the bus or hand it over to the ground handling staff. The staff would then take it to domestic bay where Customs officials are not posted. Though CISF officials are deployed at the staff gate, they seldom frisk the ground handling staff.
10/06/15 Dhinesh Kallungal/New Indian Express
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According to official records, the Customs Department had seized 82.23 kg of gold in the last fiscal year, and arrested 40 persons in connection with 130 cases registered during the year.
According to the officials, the airport staff in their custody used to transport smuggled gold out of the airport in ferry buses. Though aerobridges have been set up to facilitate easy transit of passengers, the facility is not being used by certain aircraft due to technical reasons. Taking advantage of this lacuna, the gold carriers would conceal the contraband inside the bus or hand it over to the ground handling staff. The staff would then take it to domestic bay where Customs officials are not posted. Though CISF officials are deployed at the staff gate, they seldom frisk the ground handling staff.
10/06/15 Dhinesh Kallungal/New Indian Express
