In October last, an Airport Authority of India (AAI) official recruited a 39-year-old woman as a “carrier” for a Dubai-based gold smuggling network.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which busted the racket in December, said Sudha (name changed) had been drafted “precisely for her education, gender, and background” like scores of others like her.
Her “masters” in Dubai had recognised that “articulate and urbanised” women carriers, who differed noticeably from the established profile of smugglers, helped them dodge Indian customs better. Moreover, they realised that the transfer of contraband at the port of consignment would be smooth if their carriers were those recruited by airport staff on their payroll.
Prior to her arrest in Kozhikode airport on the charge of smuggling gold (10 kg) in December, Sudha worked in a television showroom. Her only daughter studied for engineering and her estranged husband offered no support.
Lure of easy money and the luxury of free board and air travel impelled her to seize the assignment.
‘Watchers’ play a part
In November, Sudha smuggled 4 kg into the country from Dubai, for which she was paid Rs.40,000. However, fortune failed to favour her any further.
On December 7, unknown to Sudha, DRI “watchers” in the Dubai airport “marked her down” as a smuggler the moment she received 10 kg of gold from one Naushad in the terminal’s transit lounge. They alerted their handlers in India.
Naushad had declared the gold in his name and then handed the “biscuits” over to Sudha to dupe Customs or DRI “spotters,” if any, at the airport. They were booked on the same flight to India.
Sudha disembarked at Kozhikode airport and hid the gold inside a toilet cubicle as planned.
