Kochi: The Air Customs officials at the Cochin International Airport on Friday seized gold worth Rs 37 lakh and arrested a Kozhikode native in this connection. The accused was identified as Muhammed Ali (45). According to sleuths, the 1.26-kg gold was crushed and powdered before mixing it with the cake using some chemical. “We acted on the basis of a tip-off. We recovered three plastic covers concealed inside his dress and found semi-solid cakes. Upon suspicion we sought the help of goldsmith and after laborious efforts spanning over four hours, the yellow metal was finally segregated,” cops said.
Ali flew in by an Air India Express flight from Sharjah on Wednesday. Upon inspection of his passport, it was learnt that he used to travel frequently in the Kochi-Sharjah route. “We suspect that he was a carrier of an international gold smuggling racket. Though he was employed in a private firm as a contract worker, he used to travel to Kochi and back at least once in a month. A case was registered under the Customs Act 1961 and further probe is on,” they said.
