One more arrested in Kerala gold smuggling case
Jul 22, 2020
Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 22 : One more person has been arrested in the high profile Kerala gold smuggling case, according to the Customs officials.
Hamzath Abdu Salam, who hails from Manjeri in Malappuram district, was arrested by the customs officials. He will be produced before the economic offences court in Kochi today.
According to the officials, Salam spent his money on buying gold which was smuggled.
The probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has unearthed how the gold smuggling racket used the COVID-19 induced lockdown to smuggle large quantities of gold from abroad.
According to the NIA remand report submitted in the court in Kochi on Tuesday, the fourth accused Sandeep Nair during interrogation revealed how the gang used the COVID-19 situation to smuggle in gold.
The NIA is probing the 30 Kg of gold smuggled in a consignment that came in the name of the UAE consulate. It was busted by customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.
Three key accused -- Sarith PS, Swapna Suresh, and Sandeep Nair -- are currently under the custody of the NIA.
