KOCHI: CBI probe against Customs officials at Karipur airport has revealed that baggage containing contraband that arrived from abroad was released without proper checking. This was stated in the FIR filed at CBI Court in Kochi recently.
The CBI has registered a case against 14 persons, including 13 Customs officials who worked in B batch at Karipur airport, in connection with largescale smuggling of contraband . Of these, four are superintendent-ranked officers, seven inspector-ranked officers and two havildars. A civilian, who is a resident of Malappuram, is the 14th accused.
“It is revealed that Customs officials who were on duty at airport conspired with importers and passengers, importing or carrying contraband, prohibited and commercial goods. They facilitated the illegal import of goods by passengers coming from various Gulf countries by not subjecting the goods to due examination and releasing the same by obtaining undue advantages from them,” stated the FIR.
CBI FIR states about the findings of a surprise check carried with the help of the Directorate of Revenue (DRI) officials at Karipur airport on January 12 which ended the next day. “Some passengers were intercepted after Customs officials had cleared their baggage. Their baggage was assessed by DRI and the total value of contraband recovered from passengers was Rs 70,08,344. The valuables included gold jewellery in unaccounted baggage found at baggage counter, worth `36,46,277.
Cigarettes worth `4.24 lakh was found in cartons inside baggage at the baggage counter near arrival hall. `2.86 lakh and 3,500 dirhams were traced from various places including X-ray scanning centre, office cabins, the mess in the Customs area, personal bags and drawers.
Unaccounted cartons containing foreign cigarettes were also found at various places, including cabins, mess and office. The total seizures made from the airport in the search was above `1 crore.“DRI had received inputs about illegal activities of Customs officials at Karipur which was shared with the anti-corruption agency CBI. It was after receiving sanction from the state government that the FIR was registered. We are interrogating Customs officers as part of the probe,” a CBI officer said.
CUSTOMS OFFICIALS TO BE SERVED NOTICE
Kochi: Customs Preventive Commissionerate is all set to issue notices to 13 Customs officials in Karipur airport booked by CBI for aiding smugglers. After CBI raid in January, the Customs conducted an internal probe against the officers. As part of it, searches were held at residences of the accused officials. In the raid, incriminating materials were seized. Customs will soon issue notice to these officers seeking explanation on charges against them. The delay in procedure occurred as several senior Customs officers in Kerala contracted Covid-19 and were in home quarantine.