Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, May 31: In an innovative way of smugging gold, in perhaps the first case of its kind, the officials of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Mangalore branch on Friday May 30 night caught a passenger red-handed placing gold bars in a dustbin at Mangalore International Airport.
The passenger, Sameer Mohammed, a resident of Kasargod, arrived at the airport by Air India Express flight from Dubai at around 10 pm.
The officials also seized two gold bars, each weighing one kg, altogether worth Rs 50.96 lac.
Sameer had brought the gold bars wrapped in papers, and before going through security check, he went to the toilet of the airport and placed the package in the dustbin. The DRI officials, who had received prior information about the method of smuggling, kept a watch and caught him red-handed.
As per Sameer, he was directed by someone to place the gold bars in the dustbin, from where it would be collected by an accomplice. He claimed that he did not know who was supposed to collect the package.
Sources said that the officials are not ruling out the possibility of the involvement of airport staff, as it happened inside the premises. It is the first time such a case has been reported at Mangalore airport.
Sameer was arrested and further investigations are on.