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Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs department has seized 489 grams of gold worth Rs 21.5 lakhs at Kochi airport, the officials said on Saturday.
On the basis of profiling done by the officers of Kochi Customs AIU batch and Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB), a passenger coming from Sharjah to Kochi Airport was intercepted at the green channel. "During the examination of the passenger, one rectangular strap containing gold compound weighing 224 grams and one capsule-shaped packet containing gold in paste form weighing 265 grams concealed in the rectum were recovered," the customs official said. The accused has been identified as Nassar, a native of Valanchery in the Malappuram district. Further investigations are going on in the matter. Earlier on Wednesday, the Kerala Customs department arrested a crew member of Air India Express for smuggling over 1.4 kg of gold at Kochi airport. A senior Customs official said that a resident of Wayanad, who worked as a cabin crew member of Air India Express airlines was held by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs department at Kerala's Kochi airport on Wednesday. "The arrested accused was on a Bahrain-Kochi flight. The accused kept the gold wrapped around his hands and covered it under his full sleeves uniform," said a senior customs official. Air India spokesperson confirmed that a member of the crew on an Air India Express flight IX 474 has been taken into custody following an incident involving smuggling. The said individual has been placed on suspension with immediate effect. (ANI)
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