Kochi: The Customs air intelligence unit seized Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currencies worth Rs 10 lakh at Kochi International Airport on Thursday. The sleuths arrested Abdul Salam of Panoor in Kannur on his arrival from Dubai at 9 a.m. The Customs registered a case against the accused for carrying undeclared currencies above the permitted level. Customs Commissioner K.N. Raghavan said that the arrested was a carrier who got Rs 20,000 for bringing the money.
According to him, the unaccounted money had got stuck abroad owing to demonetisation. The authorities found the currencies concealed in toilet napkin package, tissue paper boxes and soap powder boxes. There was Rs 7 lakh in Rs 1000 currency notes and Rs 3 lakh in Rs 500 notes. The Customs suspect that Salam, a frequent traveller to Dubai, is a smuggler. As per reports, he left for Dubai from Kozhikode airport on November 20. On verification of his passport it was revealed that he travelled to Dubai multiple times.
Customs officials claimed that hawala channels were behind the currency smuggling. The authorities have launched a probe into the deal and are on the lookout for the contact waiting for Salam. Customs department has alerted the Reserve Bank of India, Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate about the seizure. Passengers arriving from abroad should make a declaration at the airport if the amount they carry exceeds Rs 25,000.
