KOCHI: The Customs Department which began the probe in the two instances of foreign currency seizure from the Nedumbassery airport on Wednesday suspects it to be part of hawala transactions.
Customs officers have extended the probe in the incident involving the Afghan national who was caught with foreign currency worth Rs 10.36 crore, to New Delhi. However, they ruled out any common link between the back-to-back seizures.
“Some of the hawala rackets operating in New Delhi are under scanner. We suspect the seized money is part of a money-laundering activity involving the gold smuggling racket, as the latter usually send money abroad via hawala,” said a Customs officer. “We are checking whether the currencies were sent in return for gold smuggled into the country. We are also investigation forex agencies through which such a huge amount of foreign currencies could be obtained.” Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said he couldn’t reveal anything as the hawala angle was under probe. He said the investigation on the seizure of currencies from the Afghanistan national has commenced in New Delhi.