KOCHI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested two members of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) team at Thiruvananthapuram airport for facilitating gold smuggling.
Anish K A and Nithin S, both in the inspector rank, were arrested on Thursday after interrogation at the DRI office in Kochi. The DRI got information about the duo’s illegal activities after it intercepted two carriers with 4.8kg of gold at Thiruvananthapuram airport earlier this month. It was found that the carriers had been cleared by the customs officials before they were intercepted. The carriers worked for a Kannur-based racket that smuggled gold from Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Following the seizure, members of the racket, acting on the assumption that the tainted officers had made the seizure, reached the customs office in the airport seeking the release of the gold. They even created a scene claiming that the officers had been informed about the arrival of the gold.
The racketeers later posted videos on social media claiming that they had brought gold to Kerala illegally on 80 occasions with the officials’ assistance and that remuneration was paid to officers after each carrier was cleared at the airport. They even released a voice clip revealing the officers’ involvement.