THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 24-year-old youth who had mysteriously disappeared from Thiruvananthapuram International airport upon his arrival from Dubai on August 13, was a carrier who operated for a Manjeri-based gold smuggling racket, the police have informed the Customs Department.
The report filed by Valiyathura Station House Officer Girilal D with the Customs on Monday revealed that the youth had carried about one kilogram gold, which was concealed within his body in the form of three balls.
Al Ameen, a native of Pangode in Thiruvananthapuram rural police limits, was reported missing by his parents from the airport. The parents had no prior information about his arrival and they came to know about him reaching the state after a group of people, belonging to Manjeri-based racket, came in search of him. The police rounded him up when he returned to his place later.
The confession statement of the youth, which was part of the report, said the youth was offered `50,000 for smuggling gold for the Manjeri racket. Later, when he told his friend about the offer, he advised him to hand over the gold to a Kannur-based team in return of `1 lakh. “The Kannur team was the rival of the Manjeri-based racket. Upon landing, Al Ameen was escorted away to Bengaluru and Coorg by the Kannur team. When the police expedited the probe, the racketeers had no other option but to send the youth back home,” the report said.
The SHO told TNIE that the youth was brought to Ernakulam via Tamil Nadu and from there he was sent home to Thiruvananthapuram in a taxi. “The police took him into custody from Venjaramoodu,” he said.The report mentions about the name and other details of the people, who had handed over gold to the youth, and those who had escorted him away from the airport. The Customs on Tuesday questioned the youth and conducted a raid at his residence in Pangode.