In a major gold smuggling bust, a cabin crew member of Air India Express has been arrested by the Customs officials at Cochin International Airport in Kochi. The crew member, identified as Shafi Sharaf, was allegedly smuggling over 1.4 kg of gold from Bahrain on Flight IX 474 to Kozhikode and Kochi.
According to reports, Shafi Sharaf had wrapped the gold paste around his forearms, which was concealed under his full-sleeved shirt. The Customs officials were tipped off about the smuggling attempt and apprehended the crew member on Wednesday.
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Air India Express has condemned the incident and said that the arrested crew member has been suspended with immediate effect. The airline also stated that it has zero tolerance for such behaviour and will take stern action against the individual, including termination of service, following the receipt of the investigative authorities' report.
In a separate incident, the Customs officials seized gold bars worth Rs 3.32 crore at the Cochin International Airport and arrested two passengers, including a Sri Lankan national. The two passengers had arrived from Singapore on Tuesday, and the Customs officials intercepted them based on specific inputs. Upon inspection, the officials found 68 gold bars weighing 6.8 kilograms hidden in their baggage.
Customs Commissionerate's M. Mathew Jolly stated that an investigation was underway, and the arrested pair was in custody. These incidents of gold smuggling through airports have become a major concern for the authorities, with several such cases being reported in recent times.
In January, four men were arrested on charges of gold smuggling, including two Air India contract workers, at Nedumbassery. Last year, a flight attendant was detained at Calicut International Airport with 1.25 kilograms of gold hidden in her shoes. In another smuggling attempt in 2021, an Air India Express air hostess was detained at Karipur.
(Edited by : Soham Shetty)
First Published: Mar 9, 2023 12:47 PM IST
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