CHENNAI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday busted an outrageous mode of gold smuggling exploiting an apparent loophole at the Chennai International Airport by two passengers and an airport ground handling staff. All three were arrested and 2 kg of 24-carat gold worth Rs 1.5 crore was seized.
According to sources, the first passenger arrived at Chennai from Dubai via Colombo at around 9:30 am in the arrival area which is at the same level as the departure lounge and is separated by a 15-foot-high glass wall with an opening above that.
This passenger threw the smuggled gold-in-paste form over this wall to his accomplice, the second passenger, to the other side. This passenger, bound for Colombo by the next flight, collected the gold and handed it over to the airport staff in the toilet, meant for employees only, DRI sources said.
The airport staff would then walk out of the airport and hand it over to the receiver who was supposedly coordinating this from outside. DRI sleuths, who kept vigil, arrested the trio after they executed this modus operandi in a matter of few minutes, sources said.
Official sources said this outrageous attempt has been successfully used multiple times by this group at a time in the day where smuggling may not be anticipated. “It happens in front of several passengers, officials and staff,” an official said.
In May, smugglers had similarly exploited a gap in the glass pane and wall inside the airport’s executive lounge to smuggle out gold in a similar manner.
