A significant gold smuggling operation has been busted at Surat International Airport, with 48.17 kg of gold, valued at an estimated Rs 25 crore.
The seizure comes in quick succession to a previous catch last week, where over 43.5 kg of gold was confiscated from three passengers from Sharjah. The investigation then led to the discovery of an additional 4.67 kg of gold hidden in the airport washroom by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). As a result, four individuals, including a customs official, have been arrested and are currently under medical examination at the Civil Hospital.
The gold, smuggled in paste form, was discovered on July 7, hidden within five black belts. It was found in the possession of passengers aboard an Air India Express flight number IX 172, arriving from Sharjah.
Following the arrests, the statements of the accused were recorded under the Customs Act, 1962, leading to the implication and subsequent arrest of a customs official. Further investigations are underway to determine the potential involvement of additional airport staff in the smuggling operation.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Mohd Saqib Mustaq Ahmed Atasbajiwala (35), Uvesh Imtiaz Shaikh (31), Yasir Mohd Ilyas Shaikh (35), and Parag Kumar Dheerajlal Dave (46). Following their medical examination, the DRI is set to produce the quartet in court today, where a request for remand will be made. The case continues to unfold as authorities untangle the intricate web of this large-scale smuggling operation.
