Kerala: Customs makes headway in probe

KOCHI: The Commissionerate of Customs Preventive (CCP) has made strong headway in the probe relating to the smuggling of gold through diplomatic channels at the Thiruvananthapuram airport, sources said. Customs sleuths are learned to have intercepted persons of ‘high value’, including a person who is suspected to be one among the kingpins and a financier of the racket involved in gold smuggling through diplomatic channels. Sources said the accused played a key role in the escape of Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair from the state.
According to sources, the same gang had handled consignments of gold through the same route on June 24 and June 26. Customs has been conducting coordinated raids across the state to make a recovery and to collect further evidence in the case.
“Those who are being questioned by Customs are people financiers. The key person has political connections but has active cases by DRI and Customs against him. He is one level above the members of the racket which has already been arrested and he is one of the financiers in the case,” said a source privy to the information. The sources added that the interception was made by Customs with the assistance of other central agencies.
A well-placed source in the central finance ministry said that the Customs investigation is targeted at various financiers connected with the racket. “The gold smuggled in on June 24 and 26 must be with the financiers or the buyers now. We are trying our best to make a recovery in these cases too,” said the source.
He said that the searches are going on across the state and it covers everybody who appears to have links with the case, including officials. He also said that they are looking into a lead that a flat of a top bureaucrat was used to conduct the conspiracy. He added that it could be said that the accused who have already been arrested were hired by the person who has been intercepted by them.
Meanwhile, a Perinthalmanna native, Ramees, was picked up by the agency for questioning. He was taken into custody from Malappuram. Officials denied his arrest while confirming that he was being questioned. Official sources refused to divulge further information about the accused.