Thiruvananthapuram: The Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday arrested one more person in connection with the smuggling of 25 kg of gold through the Thiruv-ananthapuram airport recently.
He was identified as Prakashan Thampi, owner of a music troupe here, who had helped prime accused Biju and Vishnu to go into hiding.
Thampi, who was also absconding, was remanded in judicial custody. Biju had entrusted Thampi to hand over the smuggled gold to Hakkim, owner of a jewellery shop at East Fort. He is also absconding.
The women accompanying the smugglers used to hand over the gold to Thampi, who is the programme manager of a music director who died recently. Vishnu is the finance manager of the same musician.
As per DRI reports, over 20 people were involved in the racket. The 25 kg of gold was seized from the bags of Sunil of Thirumala and Serina Shaji at the airport on May 13. Two days later, Vineetha, wife of Biju, was also arrested.
The gang used six other women as carriers who travelled from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram six times. Serena has smuggled 50 kg of gold and Vineetha 20 kg. Biju, Vishnu and Hakeem were linked to the women who are from well-off families.
The modus operandi was to send a woman carrier along with a man and she will pose as his wife. Thiruvananthapuram native Akash Shaji bought the gold to be smuggled to the state. The links between airport officials and the racket were established by the arrest of customs superintendent V. Radhakrishnan the other day. Rashid, accountant of the private firm in the city that bought gold from the smugglers, was also arrested along with Radhakrishnan.
The DRI had also questioned two other customs inspectors and raided their houses.
