Gold seized at Karipur airport

The Intelligence wing of the Air Customs at the Karipur airport seized 2.5 kg of smuggled gold from two passengers who arrived from Dubai on Indigo flights on Thursday and Friday.

Both of them had hidden the gold in their rectum. Saji Sebastian, 40, from Palakkad, who arrived on Thursday, and Abdul Saleem, 32, from Arakkinar, near Beypore, who arrived on Friday, were caught when they passed through the door-frame metal detector (DFMD) near the emigration counter.

‘Carriers’ both

When Saji carried 1.5 kg of gold biscuits, Saleem carried one kg. Customs officials said both were carriers of the same group involved in gold smuggling.

Both were reportedly tempted by the reward offered by the gang. Saji was a rubber tapping employee and was coaxed into the racket by one Mohammed, alias Manu, from Nilambur.

Manu took him to Dubai a few days ago and sent him with the gold biscuits after subjecting him to several rounds of tests by inserting different quantities of gold in his rectum. Saji was reportedly offered tickets and Rs.50,000 for bringing the gold.

Customs officials said Saleem was not a first-timer. He had reportedly carried the gold twice before by concealing in his rectum. The preventive wing of the Customs will continue the investigation in Palakkad and Kozhikode.