Thiruvananthapuram: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials are on the lookout for two advocates who had been entrusted by Thirumala native Sunil to smuggle gold through the airport. Both lawyers, Vishnu and Biju, are absconding.
DRI had on Monday seized gold worth Rs 8 crore from the Thiruvananthapuram airport, weighing 25 kg.
It was found that the mission was assigned to Sunil, a native of Tirumala by these lawyers. A Kazhakuttom native Zarina accompanied him after they arrived from Muscat through an Oman Air flight.
These advocates went into hiding after Sunil got arrested. DRI investigation found that Sunil, a conductor, had smuggled gold earlier also.
The DRI investigation also found that this team including goons and advocates are very active in the capital city. A search has been intensified for the advocates involved in the incident.
Based on secret information, the two were taken into custody by the DRI from the customs hall. The gold bars of 1kg weight was wrapped in a black paper and hidden in the handbag.
Sunil and Zarina who ran a beauty parlour flew to Dubai two days back. They got the gold from there.
It has been hinted that some crucial details have been obtained on the gold smuggling mafia after questioning the two.
Many cases of gold smuggling had been reported from the airport in the past.
DRI arrested an employee of AISATS, the ground cargo agency of the airport, for aiding gold smuggler on April 11.
A passenger was nabbed at the airport for attempting to smuggle gold worth Rs 9 lakh after concealing it inside his body.
The DRI also arrested a person for trying to smuggle 1.4 kg of gold worth Rs 45 lakh inside an iron box in January.
He was identified as Sudheesh Mohan (30) of Geetha Bhavan, Thurvikkal of Akkulam, a passenger on Air Arabia flight from Sharjah who had brought the gold by placing it in place of the iron rod of the iron box.
The Air Customs Intelligence unit on duty at Trivandrum International Airport In December seized over two kg of gold that smuggled in on an Emirates flight from Dubai, identified as Muhammed Shuhaib, a resident of Poonthura.
