Mumbai, May 5 (Mid-day) : The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs arrested a housekeeping staff at the airport who helped transport gold bars from toilets in the international airport to smugglers.
AIU has got custody of the accused who was caught with four gold bars of 4 kg and are investigating those behind this manoeuvre. Acting on a tip-off, AIU officers intercepted Virar resident Yuvraj Solanki (21), an employee of A to Z housekeeping services.
The officers found around four gold bars of one kilogram each in Solanki’s possession. “Solanki used to pick up the gold dropped off by the smugglers at the airport toilets and sneak the gold biscuits outside the premises for the smugglers. He was promised monetary benefits for his services,” said an AIU officer.
The officials said that Solanki had picked up the gold bars from the washroom in the West side of the international airport. The bars were to be delivered to someone waiting outside.
Solanki, in the past, has also been allegedly involved in transporting three kilograms of gold bars from the international airport and delivering it to the smugglers outside, who organised the entire operation.
He was given Rs 60,000 for the delivery as a reward, said an AIU official. The bars have Kaloti Dubai inscribed on it and AIU officials suspect that the bars were smuggled from the country.
Solanki has been booked for evasion and misdeclaration under the Customs Act 1962. Advocate R N Selhi, who appeared for Solanki said, “My client was framed by the Customs officials.”