MALAPPURAM: The high-profile investigation into the diplomatic baggage gold smuggling case and the coronavirus pandemic have not deterred racketeers from smuggling in the yellow metal, if recent developments are any indication.
Customs officers believe incidents related to gold smuggling through the Kozhikode airport have revealed the growing presence of illegal networks in the state.
Following up on an attack on two Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officers, amid monthly gold seizures of 30-40 kilograms from the airport, Thursday’s kidnapping of a Kozhikode native — who was mistaken for a carrier — is a clear indication of the rackets’ increasing activities, the Customs said.
Riyas, a resident of Kuttiady, was kidnapped while travelling from Kozhikode airport after the smuggling gang suspected him to be a carrier who was fleeing with their gold.
The gang took him to their hideout and beat him up to recover the illegal gold. But Riyas was released later as he managed to convince the gang that he was not a carrier.
The DRI officers were attacked in the first week of September by two youngsters while the officers tried to stop the duo’s vehicle at Kondotty.
They knocked down the officers travelling on a motorbike using their car and attempted to flee. But DRI officers managed to catch them and seize 4.3kg of gold compound worth more than Rs 1.5 crore from their vehicle.
“If we seize a small quantity of gold every month from the airport, we can accept the logic that individuals are smuggling gold for personal purposes. But we seize 30-40kg gold every month. This indicates that some gangs are controlling smuggling operations from safe places,” said a Customs officer. The officer said the agency may launch an investigation into the kidnapping to unearth the racket behind it. But the officer said it is a tough challenge.
“We have limitations to act in this case because we didn’t recover gold from Riyas. But we can investigate the incident by gathering the contact details of Riyas. Also, we require permission from higher authorities to extend our investigation to smugglers. We also don’t have a sufficient number of officers to investigate outside the airport. Yet, we will look into the case,” the officer added.