MUMBAI: The air intelligence unit (
AIU) of airport
customs arrested two businessman on Thursday for allegedly buying nearly 34 kg of smuggled gold worth Rs 9 crore over the last few months. The accused - Ismail Khatri and Manish Jain - have been sent to jail custody.
The arrest of the two businessmen comes about three months after a
Kenya Airways crew member, Abdalla Ali Said, was held while allegedly trying to smuggle in 23 kg of gold, worth Rs 7 crore in February. It was during the investigation of this case that the two arrested businessmen came under the scanner.
Said's accomplice,
Ibrahim Hussein, who is also an accused told officials that he had sold the smuggled gold to Ismail Khatri of Khatri Exports and to Manish Jain of Manish Gold Jewellery. Khatri and Jain were arrested after a detailed inquiry was conducted into the case by the customs department officials.
During interrogation, one of the accused admitted that he had earlier smuggled around 34 kg gold into India. -Vijay V Singh
Picture for representational purpose only.