Security lapse at Kochi airport for smuggling

One of the four buses carrying 44 passengers each from the flight which landed around 9.30 am dropped them at the domestic terminal. The faux pas was revealed when the passengers queried about their baggage with officials. The flight had a total of 157 passengers.

CIAL authorities swung into action immediately and took them to the international terminal for customs and immigration clearance. The ground handling agency Air India Air Transport Services Limited (AIATSL) was blamed for the mix-up while there were suspicions that a few passengers got out through the domestic terminal which was promptly denied by the officials who said that CISF did not allow anyone to go out through that route. The passengers got out of the airport after completing the formalities by11.15 a.m, AIE officials said.

Later the AIATSL suspended the driver of the bus Anoop P.S for dereliction of duty while Customs officials collected statements from AISTSL employees and duty manager of traffic and ramp. Recently, the customs officials had seized gold from under the seats of a couple of buses ferrying passengers at the airport and there has been increasing suspicion about smuggling out of contraband through the domestic terminal of the airport with the aid of the staff employed there. The Customs officials have intensified their search and have stepped up vigil in the light of Wednesday’s incident.

During interrogation, all of them admitted to their role in the smuggling and said they were drawn into the syndicate for monetary benefits, an official release said.

Investigations have revealed that Muvattupuzha-based syndicate is behind the smuggling operations.

Searches were carried out on the premises of M/s Jewel Park Jewellery at Muvattupuzha and 3.5 kg of gold ornaments which were made using smuggled gold was seized. The owner of the jewellry and two other persons who were involved in the said smuggling were arrested on Wednesday.

Customs officials have hit on the arrest and seizure following investigation that followed seizure of 13 kg of gold which was being smuggled out of Cochin airport on May 24 this year. The gold was seized from two buses ferrying passengers from flights to terminal.

One Salim was arrested in connection with this on the day itself.

Interrogation of Salim led to leads to involvement of the ground handling agency officials. The modus operandi adopted by the smuggling syndicate was to use carrier passengers to bring gold to Cochin international airport where gold was either left in the bus ferrying passengers from aircraft to terminal, to be retrieved by officials of M/s BWFS or handed over directly to said employees.

These officials in turn used to conceal it in their dress or within their shoes and take it outside the terminal and hand it over to members of the smuggling syndicate, the Customs release said. Investigations revealed that Faisal, brother of Naushad and Fazil, brother –in-law of Salim as important links in the smuggling syndicate. Both are presently absconding.