Media Release
Mangaluru, Sep 21: Acting on credible information that an international passenger would attempt to smuggle gold into the country in connivance with one of the staff of Mangaluru International Airport, the officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, regional unit, Mangaluru, on September 20, identified and intercepted the passenger successfully and confiscated gold from him.
Nizar Khadar Mulleria (32), from Kasargod is the passenger arrested. The said gold weighed 1515.270 grams in total and were found to be of 24 karat purity and their current market value was placed at around Rs 47 lac. The contraband gold was later seized by the officers of DRI under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The passenger was arrested for attempting to smuggle gold bars into the country.
Nizar arrived by Spicejet from Dubai to Mangaluru at around 6.15 pm on Thursday. On arrival of the aircraft from Dubai, the said passenger was identified and intercepted right at the aircraft door and was escorted to customs arrival area and subjected to thorough checking. On checking a mobile cover (pouch) in his bag, it was found that 12 tola bars of gold of foreign origin (intact) and 1 sheet of gold of foreign origin were cleverly concealed inside by using black and silver adhesive tapes in order to avoid detection.
Further, working on the Intelligence, one official working at the Mangaluru International Airport was also rounded up for interrogation and crucial evidences regarding abetment of smuggling of contraband gold were recovered. The search of the official’s residence led to recovery and seizure of Rs 25 lac in cash which was purportedly received for abetting the illegal activity. The said officer was also arrested under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962.
Further Investigation in the matter is under progress.