Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jan 10: It is gathered that the customs officials in Malpe seized saffron worth about a crore of rupees being illegally transported by some bus passengers, on Sunday January 9. The material, weighing about 50 kgs, was being taken to Mumbai, after filling it in six bags.

Saffron was being taken to Mumbai in a private bus by the accused, Mohammed Ashraf (40), Mohammed Rafi (25), and Azaruddin (23), residents of Kasargod. They had boarded a bus bound for Mumbai, at Mangalore. The customs officials intercepted the bus at Karavali Circle here. During inspection, they also found 1,783 electronic memory cards of 2 GB capacity worth about Rs 3.5 lac rupees from the possession of the accused. In addition, 90 cartons of foreign cigarette worth about a lac of rupees, on which tax was not paid, were also recovered from a person named Abdul Rahim (40), also from Kasargod, who was travelling in the same bus.

It is claimed that the saffron now seized was smuggled from Iran to Kerala, from where, it was being taken to Mumbai. The customs officers, who have registered cases in this connection, have taken up investigation about the source of the materials and about those involved with this smuggling.