Kochi, Oct 9 (IANS): A senior customs official based in Kochi was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here Wednesday while a few others are under the CBI radar, officials said.

C. Madhavan, deputy commissioner, customs, is alleged to have helped smuggling gang kingpin Fayas, who has been found to have smuggled gold on a few occasions through the Cochin airport.

The arrest is in continuation of a 20-kg gold haul at the Cochin airport here last month, when two women from Dubai were arrested with 20 gold bars hidden in their clothes.

The arrests and questioning led to Fayas being arrested Sep 24. Following detailed questioning of Fayas, two customs officials were nabbed.

The CBI probe team found Fayas has links not only with top customs officials but also politicians across political parties.

CBI sleuths in the past one week have questioned Madhavan a few times and again asked him to report to their office Wednesday morning, when he was arrested.