THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) probe into the seizure of 25 kg gold biscuits from two passengers who had arrived from Dubai is now focussed on a Malappuram native, who was reportedly an employee at a jewellery shop here.
DRI sources said only after nabbing the suspect will they know if the jewellery management had any role in the episode.
Intelligence sources, meanwhile, said the gold was brought by a Thiruvananthapuram-based gang. “We feel this is their first operation that was caught here. Our impression is it’s a new team,” sources said.
The agencies have been aware of several gangs, including those from Koduvally in Kozhikode, Kasaragod and Malappuram, that operated through the airports in Kerala. However, their role was ruled out in the current case.
Sources told ‘Express’ that gangs that operated out of Poonthura and Beemapally could be behind the smuggling. “Earlier there were gangs from these areas that specialised in gold smuggling. However, the ones that planned the smuggling this time seem to be from a different racket. The probe so far has revealed the footprints of a local gang,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the agencies reckon the end-users of the smuggled gold are jewellery shops.Earlier this year, the Customs had arrested a Thiruvananthapuram native while smuggling 5 kg gold for his jewellery shops. The man, who owned two showrooms in the district, had brought it from Dubai personally.
“He was adamant that the gold was meant for his shops. We could not prove otherwise,” said a Customs officer. However, the officer added that in the case of other carriers, the gold they bring in is for jewellery shops. “The gold they (carriers) bring is handed over to the agents waiting outside the airport. In the case of the Malappuram man, we are checking whether he was the prime agent or just an intermediary. If he is the prime agent, he would be able to tell us where the metal was heading to,” the sources added.
An officer with the Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs Department said earlier some of the jewelleries kept their own agents to bring gold from West Asia. But due to legal tangles and fearing actions from the enforcement agencies, they have stopped bringing gold directly.
“Instead, they take gold from freelancing agents, who are not affiliated with them. The gold from the carrier passes through several hands before reaching jewellery shops,” the source said.
The DRI has so far arrested three people, including two women, in the case.