KOCHI: The Karipur gold smuggling case, which also led to a road accident claiming the lives of five people at Ramanatukara on the Kozhikode-Malappuram border last month, has shed light on the deceitful tactics used by criminal gangs to take possession of the smuggled contraband. Customs officials received this inside information on the operations of various gangs after interrogating Muhammad Shafeeque, the carrier of the seized gold.
According to Customs officials, CPM sympathiser Arjun Ayanki and Yusuf, both from Kannur, formed a criminal gang that primarily helped in ensuring the safety of carriers bringing gold for investors functioning in Koduvally, Malappuram and Kannur.
"They started as a gang providing security for carriers and transporting the smuggled gold from carriers to racketeers who invested and placed an order for the gold. They trace and recover carriers who try to flee with the smuggled gold. Thus they knew the persons who are sending gold from the UAE, those arranging it, middlemen and people in Kerala who are ordering the smuggled gold," a Customs official said.
After establishing close links with people involved in the smuggling, the gang operated by Arjun started seizing the gold for the past one year immediately after it arrived in Karipur airport. The Customs is yet to receive information about the number of occasions Arjun and his gang seized the smuggled gold that arrived in Karipur airport as he is not cooperating with the probe.
"The statement of Shafeeque brings out the fact that members of one gang recruit men from other gangs as informers. These gangs then deploy criminals to abduct the carrier, physically assault him and steal the smuggled gold. Some cases of such abductions and physical assaults have been registered by the Kerala Police," said the petition filed by the customs department at Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence) court on Monday.
Following a clash of interests, Arjun and Yusuf formed two different gangs. "The gold seized from Shafeeque was ordered by a set of investors based in Koduvally. Fearing that the smuggled gold will be snatched by other gangs, they entrusted Koduvally native Sufian to ensure the protection of Shafeeque when he arrived with the gold. However, Yusuf received information about the arrival of the consignment which was confirmed by Dubai based agents Saleem and Muhammad who recruit carriers and send illegal gold. Yusuf offered a commission to Muhammad and planned to divert the gold that is brought for the Koduvally based racket which hired Sufian," said the official.
However, a member of Yusuf's gang leaked information about the arrival of the gold to Arjun and he decided to deceive Sufian and Yusuf to get away with it. He contacted the agent Muhammad and offered a commission. He also spoke with carrier Shafeeque offering more money and protection in case the Koduvally gang and Yusuf gang threaten him. "From someone inside Arjun's gang and sources in Dubai, Yusuf came to know about the plan made by Arjun. So he again contacted Muhammad and Shafeeque ensuring that the gold reaches his hand safely. Shafeeque said that his plan was to hand over the gold to the gang of Yusuf who was also waiting for him outside Karipur airport," the Customs official said.
Involvement of TP murder case accused Kodi Suni and Shafi
On the other hand, Sufian knew that Arjun's gang would be present outside the airport to seize the smuggled gold after influencing the carrier. So he hired around 50 members of a criminal gang based in Cheruplassery in Palakkad district. However, Arjun told Shafeeque that he should not bother about Sufian and Yusuf. The Customs officer said Arjun told Shafeeque that he has the backing of Kodi Suni, Shafi and Sufian, convicts in the murder of T P Chandrasekharan, founder of RMP, a breakaway group from the CPM. Arjun said that he would ensure Shafeeque's protection. "However, following the directions of Muhammad at Dubai, he decided to hand over the gold to Yusuf," the Customs official said.
On June 21, when Shafeeque started his journey from Dubai, Arjun told him to send a photograph so that he can identify him from the colour of his shirt. Shafeeque informed Yusuf who asked him to change the shirt after sending a photograph to Arjun. Shafeeque acted accordingly. However, eventually, Shafeeque was caught by Customs officials on his arrival at the airport and confusion between various gangs led to a vehicle chase that killed five people from Cheruplassery at Ramanatukara.
"As the smuggled gold is unaccounted, the investors cannot lodge any complaint. They also fear the political background of Arjun and his gang. We have to question Kodi Suni to check his links with the gang. We will approach the concerned court which convicted him in the TP murder case to question him at the jail. We handed over a notice at the house of Yusuf to appear for questioning on Tuesday. He is currently absconding," the Customs official said.