Hyderabad: Gold smugglers exploited aged women Umrah pilgrims to smuggle more than 5 kg gold from Jeddah to Hyderabad. Customs officials thwarted the smuggling, and seized 48 row gold bangles and three gold bars weighing 5.3 kg from 10 women and two men at the RGI Airport on Wednesday.
Officials arrested the smugglers named Md. Mustapha and Rahman, Hyderabad-based tour guides, and let off the women passengers as they were proved innocent in the case.
Officials said the women passengers, most of them aged between 60 and 80 years, were unaware of the racket and they wore the gold bangles after being convinced by the gang before they boarded the flight from Jeddah.
"The main kingpin named Amin, who is absconding now, and the arrested duo convinced the women that the gold were brought for their relative's marriage in Hyderabad. They convinced them that the gold will be allowed at the airport if women wear them. Thus they wore it before boarding the flight from Jeddah," said a customs official. He added that the gang had planned to collect the gold outside the airport.
The passengers arrived at the airport in the morning by Saudia Flight 754. After the Air Intelligence Wing of Customs received a tip off regarding the smuggling activity, they stopped the women and carried out a check. The duo, who were accompanying the women, tried to evade customs official, but were arrested.
The women, who were startled to know that they have been exploited, gave details about the tour guides. They said that Mustapha was helping them as a guide during their pilgrimage on behalf of different travel agencies in Hyderabad.
The customs officials confirmed that the arrested duo were working for a major smuggling gang. "We have a started a probe into the case, and we are collecting the details of other people involved in this case," said a customs official.
