KOCHI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) probing the Karipur gold smuggling case received information that prime accused Shahbaz, native of Koduvally in Kozhikode, was involved in two other gold smuggling cases reported in New Delhi and along the India-Nepal border in Jharkhand.
Shahbaz will be handed over to the Kozhikode City Police Commissioner for executing preventive detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act(COFEPOSA).
“In a case reported last year, the accused attempted to smuggle gold to India through the Nepal border. The consignment was brought to Nepal from Dubai by air, and from there to India by road,” said DRI officials.
The DRI also got information about Shahbaz’s involvement in the gold smuggling bid busted in New Delhi recently. “Our intelligence unit, which had been tracking him closely for the last six months, took him into custody from Kozhikode. Also, a small quantity of drugs was also recovered from him,” said they said.
The Kozhikode police have registered a separate case against him for using and possessing drugs. He will be shifted to the Pujarapura Central Jail in the coming days.
In November 2013, two air-hostesses were arrested with six kg of gold at the Karipur airport. Shahbaz was arrested later, based on the information provided by the air-hostesses.
The investigation revealed that Shahbaz had smuggled 32 kg of gold through various airports using air hostesses. He had gone into hiding after a detention order under the COFEPOSA was issued against him.