Thiruvananthapuram: Women were used as carriers to smuggle gold via airports in a huge racket involving more than 20 people, a revenue intelligence report has revealed. At least 400 kg gold was smuggled in a year-and-a-half, it is said.
The smuggling came to light after officials seized 25 kg gold at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport earlier this month and arrested a customs officer in connection with it. In the probe that followed, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) was able to collect crucial evidence on the gang that was working out from Thiruvananthapuram.
Advocate Biju Mohanan, and Vishnu, who are absconding, and Malappuram native Abdul Hakeem are the main ring leaders.
They identify women who are from well-off families and offer huge promises to make them carriers.
Apart from advocate Biju's wife Vineetha and Sereena Shaji, who was caught with the gold, the gang used six other women as carriers.
Serena has smuggled 50 kg gold, while Vineetha trafficked 20 kg. The other six women travelled from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram four times in six months, it was found.
The woman carrier would be sent along with a man on the pretext of being his wife and would manage to bypass the inspection. Advocate Biju managed to smuggle gold seven times.
Thiruvananthapuram native Akash Shaji buys the gold from Dubai that would be then taken to the Kerala capital and sold to Abdul Hakeem, it was learnt.
Several, including the ring leaders, are yet to be caught. As it has been proved that the gang was able to smuggle gold several times, the DRI suspect the involvement of more officers in the racket.
