MALAPPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) of the Kerala police investigating the conspiracy angles related to the recent gold smuggling incidents through Kozhikode airport has arrested two more persons in connection with the case. While Fijas, 21, a native of Koduvally, was arrested on Friday, Shihab, 35. a native of Manjeri, was arrested on Saturday. With the arrests, the police have so far taken 10 people into custody. Fijas is believed to have acted as a key link between the Cherpulassery gang and the Koduvally syndicate.
He is the brother of Suffiyan, who is believed to be the brain behind the smuggling activities. SIT chief and Kondotty DySP Ashraf K said Fijas is a member of a Koduvally gang connected to the gold smuggling syndicate. “However, he doesn’t know who gave quotation to protect the gold and for whom the gold was being smuggled,” he said. Shihab and Fijas from Koduvally reached the airport on the day of the Ramanattukara accident.
Meanwhile, the police team on Saturday collected evidence to prove the conspiracy related to the gold smuggling with the help of three from the Cherpulassery quotation gang. As part of the evidence collection, they were brought to Kozhikode airport and its premises and to Ramanattukara where the accident took place.On the same day, a team of customs officials from Kochi, led by customs superintendent Vivek Vasudevan, reached Malappuram to meet SIT chief Ashraf. The customs officials collected information related to the case from the police officer.