KOCHI: Responding to a news report appeared in ‘the New Indian Express’ on the gold smuggling thriving at airports in the State, the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Monday convened an urgent meeting and decided to beef up security arrangements, and to provide entry pass to Customs officials locally to enter the domestic bay.
Speaking to ‘Express,’ airport director A C K Nair said, “we have convened an urgent meeting of various stakeholders, against the backdrop of the reported security chinks in some areas of the airport, and decided to issue entry passes locally to Customs officials to enter the domestic arrival gate, where Customs officials are not posted.”
“Besides, the meeting instructed the various agencies that employ contract labours at the airport to ensure that the security guidelines set by the authorities are adhered to. Persons with criminal antecedents should not be employed for any kind of work at the airport, and all employees should be subjected to physical examination while entering and exiting the airport. In addition, the agencies should monitor the movements of their staff and report to the security agencies in case of any behavioural aberration,” he said.
The contract employees should also cooperate with the various security agencies, including the CISF. The employers will be held responsible for any misconduct from the part of their staff.
The CIAL authorities have begun steps to install security cameras at the terminals as part the drive against gold smuggling.
On Monday, ‘Express’ had published a report on the chinks in the security arrangements at the airport, and revealed that the gold seized by Customs officials was only a fragment of the bullion being brought to the State.
Talking to ‘Express’, the Customs officials admitted that there were a lot of chinks in the security apparatus of airports in the State, which often helped the gold smugglers to decamp the contraband from the landing area of the terminal with the help of a section of ground staff.
The Customs officials also alleged they were often prevented by the CISF at the domestic bay for lack of security pass.
Four, including Cops, arrested
A day after ‘Express’ brought to the fore the startling security lapses at CIAL, the City Police arrested four persons here, including two sub-inspectors deputed in the Immigration Wing, on charges of attempting to smuggle gold through the airport. They were arrested under various provisions of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA). According to the Harbour Police, sub-inspectors E V Manu and R Krishna Kumar, both hailing from Kollam, gold carrier Ijaz Abdulla of Kasaragod and Kalady-based gold trader Abdul Rashid were arrested based on information passed on by the CBI and the Customs Commissionerate.