Airport Gold smuggling: Vigilance raids cop’s home, seizes papers

KOCHI: Officials of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Friday conducted raids at the residence and business premises of Jabin K Basheer, a police constable arrested in connection with the smuggling of nearly 1.5 tonnes of gold through the Cochin International Airport.

Vigilance was investigating the details of the land and other assets including vehicles amassed by Jabin in his name and in the names of his father Basheer and brother Nibin Basheer for the past one and half months, K.M Tomy superintendent,VACB special cell in Ernakulam, said on Friday. Jabin was under the vigilance scanner, he said in a statement.

Customs intelligence sleuths arrested Jabin last week in connection with the gold smuggling masterminded by a smuggling syndicate based in Muvattupuzha.

According to the customs officials, Jabin who worked in the emigration wing of Cochin International Airport from 2011 to April 2015, acted as the main conduit for gold smuggling through the airport.

The vigilance team headed by DySP Giji George conducted raids at four places including the house of Jabin in Muvattupuzha simultaneously after getting search warrants from the Ernakulam vigilance court.

Raids were conducted at the residence of Jabin at Kizhakkekara, the residence near the market, the residence of his uncle and the Kudiyil Agencies from 8 am.

According to VACB officials, several documents linked with making money illegally were seized during the raids.