KOCHI: Two years. Gold totalling 1,928 kg. `455 crore. That is the biggest haul of smuggled bullion in Kerala till date.
The Customs Department revealed the details in its final investigation report, accessed by Express, relating to a Muvattupuzha gang illegally trafficking gold from 2013 to 2015 through the Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery.
The group headed by hawala operator P A Noushad utilised loopholes within the airport security system to smuggle in bullion worth `455,92,80,000 - to be precise - from Dubai. Recently, Customs had slapped a fine of `96 crore on the accused. The gang used a unique modus operandi after having influenced officials with the immigration department, along with ground and flight staffs. “The group used to conceal gold bars under the back seat of the ferry bus,” a Customs officer told Express.
“They were later picked up by ground handling staff and handed over to smugglers waiting outside. On other occasions, the gold was concealed in the toilet of the immigration department. When the Customs department started checking the toilets, the gold was concealed inside the AC vent of the fifth toilet. Jabin was given a special waist belt to stock the gold after retrieving it from the toilet and the AC vent. They did it on a daily basis. On some days, as much as 16 kg of gold was smuggled.”
Money for the carriers and the ground staff was provided through hawala channels in Kerala and UAE. Even though Customs investigation failed to unravel jewellers who received the gold, two directors of Bhima Group were mentioned in its report as having contacts with Noushad. However, Customs officers said no evidence was received to prove Bhima received gold from the smugglers. It has informed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) about suspected hawala transaction involving the jeweller from Kerala to Dubai and UK. Customs claim an assistant manager and an accountant with Bhima confessed two sets of Indian currency equivalent to 25,000 British Pounds and one lakh UAE Dirhams, along with `1 crore, was sent to UK and Dubai through hawala channels operated by Noushad.
B Govind, a director of Bhima Group told Express the accused had given misleading statements. “The investigation team had taken our statement. We are not familiar with the accused persons. It seems there were attempts to fabricate a case against us. But no evidence could be established,” he said.