: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday took over the probe into the alleged involvement of two sub-inspectors in the Immigration Wing at the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery in gold smuggling through the airport.
The two police officers, who were on deputation at the airport, were arrested along with a teenager who carried the gold from Dubai and a travel agent. The arrests were made by Customs officials at the airport after they found that Ijaz Abdulla Kambar, 19, of Kozhikode, had arrived from Dubai with four gold bars concealed in his laptop bag. On interrogation, the officials found that sub-inspectors Manu E.V., of Uppoodu in Kollam, and R. Krishna Kumar, of Chavara in Kollam, allegedly helped Ijaz remove the gold safely from the airport.
Customs officials said Ijaz had similarly smuggled gold into the country on January 7 this year. He allegedly left the gold by the Immigration counter and it was removed by Manu. A travel agent from Kalady named Mohammad Rasheed was also arrested after it was found that he had allegedly conspired with the accused to smuggle the gold.
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The CBI suspect that both police officers had facilitated gold smuggling on at least three occasions previously. They allegedly received Rs.20,000 for each kg of gold smuggled into the country through the airport. In July last, about 2 kg gold was found in the flush tank of a toilet at the airport. . Officials said that CCTV recording of the airport from January 7 showed that Manu had helped remove the gold.