KOCHI: The Customs probing Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling bid using the diplomatic baggage has received information about two more persons who are allegedly associated with accused Faisal Fareed for sending gold from the UAE. The agency suspects a bigger network is operating in the UAE.
The network had sent gold to Kerala a few years ago and one such attempt was foiled after the Customs busted a Muvattupuzha-based racket. The Customs then found the racket had smuggled 1,500kg of gold between 2013 and 2015. There were 54 accused in the case and they were together fined `90 crore, of which `50 crore as fine was slapped on prime accused P A Naushad.
“From the statements of the arrested persons, we have got information of two more people who had been aiding Faisal in the UAE. The names had also emerged during our probe in the 2015 Muvattupuzha gold smuggling case. Jalaal A M, who was arrested last week, was also associated with the Muvattupuzha gang. We don’t know whether the names we have are authentic. Custodial interrogation of K T Rameez will help in busting the network abroad,” said an officer.
The Customs will approach the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence) Court to issue a non-bailable warrant against Faisal. A native of Kaipamangalam in Thrissur, Faisal is detained by Dubai Police. He had sent the baggage containing the gold. “We will also approach the Interpol to issue a red notice against him so that he can be extradited. The NIA has already approached the Interpol to issue a blue notice to collect more information about an accused. A similar procedure will be adopted against others who have aided Faisal abroad,” an official said.
The Customs on Wednesday arrested a Manjeri native who allegedly invested money for procuring gold brought illegally via the diplomatic baggage. According to the agency, Hamzath Abdusalam of Veemboor in Mariyad, the arrested, had invested close to `1 crore. He is the 14th person to be arrested by the Customs in the case. “He had been involved in the smuggling business for a long time. He was named by Said Alavi, who was arrested earlier,” the officer said.
The NIA Court in Kochi on Wednesday permitted the Customs to interrogate accused Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair. Meanwhile, arrested persons Hamjad Ali, Samju T M, Jifsal C V and Mohammed Anwar filed bail petitions at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence) Court.