All the 19 accused, including six Customs officials, involved in the Tiruchi airport smuggling case have been remanded in judicial custody.
Additional District Judge for CBI Court, S. Ganeshan, remanded them in custody till August 21.
The CBI had booked them under Section 120 B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The accused will be lodged at the Madurai Central Prison after the mandatory medical check-up, a CBI source said.
Earlier, the CBI interrogated the accused, including the Assistant Commissioner of Customs, besides seven women passengers in Tiruchi.
The CBI had registered a case against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act after the seizure of ₹9.04 lakh given by the passengers to the Customs officials.
The sources said the CBI team also took the goods seized from the passengers to be produced before the court.
Gold brought in
As per the First Information Report of the investigating agency, the passengers, who had arrived from Singapore by an Air India Express flight here on Sunday evening, had brought along with them gold, alcohol bottles and cigarette packets besides receivers.
Sources said the Customs officials on duty at the airport allegedly allowed the passengers to carry the goods out of the airport instead of confiscating them.
Consequent to the CBI operation, sources say that the Customs officials might be placed under suspension.
