KOCHI: Customs, which is probing the smuggling of gold via the UAE diplomatic channel at Thiruvananthapuram airport, on Saturday arrested three brokers who arranged buyers and financiers to smuggle the gold. The arrested are Abdu PT of Kozhichena in Kottakkal, Jifsal of Vattakkinar and Muhammed Abdu Shameem of Koduvally in Kozhikode. A senior Customs officer said they worked on a commission basis, just like the brokers in realty and marriage industry.
“These brokers are linked to Rameez, the mastermind of the smuggling racket, and Anwar, one of the financiers who was arrested a few days ago. Shameem is a partner of the jewellery shop which we raided on Friday and seized unaccounted gold ornaments,” the officer said. He said DRI had booked Jifsal last year for smuggling 1.5kg gold.
Brokers are key to the racket, the officer said. They are active in areas like Koduvally in Kozhikode and Kondotty in Malappuram. “Shameem’s role was to find buyers and distribute the smuggled gold on a commission basis. He has good contacts among jewellers in Kozhikode and Malappuram. It was through him that the end-buyers received gold,” the officer said. “Abdu and Jifsal, on the other hand, acted as brokers to find financiers. They connected Anwar to the network,” the officer said.
According to Customs officials, the broker commission varies as per the negotiation. “In big deals like the Thiruvananthapuram case, the brokerage was around 5 per cent. They were promised Rs 3 lakh each after five smuggling attempts. They did not get the money even though they successfully brokered two smuggling attempts earlier. For big deals, brokers have to find big investors and capable buyers,” an officer said.
The accused were produced before a magistrate and were remanded. So far, 13 persons including kingpin Rameez, six investors, brokers and jewellers have been arrested in the case. “We have almost reached the final layer of the smuggling network. We will be interrogating four partners of the jewellery shop in Kozhikode which was raided on Friday. More jewellers are in our radar,” the officer said.