Kochi, Oct 17 (IANS): With another senior Cochin Customs official arrested Thursday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly aiding gold smuggling, the total number of officials arrested in this connection rose to three.

Assistant commissioner of customs Anil Kumar was placed under arrest after the CBI had subjected him to intensive interrogation.

The events leading to the arrest of the three officials and smuggling gang kingpin Fayas began with a 20-kg gold haul at the Cochin airport here in September when two women from Dubai were nabbed with 20 gold bars hidden in their clothes.

The arrest of the two women and their interrogation led to arrest of Fayas Sep 24.

The two other customs officials attached to the Cochin airport and who are in custody are Kochi Customs deputy commissioner C. Madhavan and customs preventive officer Sunil Kumar.

The CBI probe team found Fayas had links not only with top customs officials but also politicians. Fayas and his associates smuggled more than 50 kg gold through the airport here in the past six months, with the alleged connivance of customs officials.