The Customs Preventive Commissionerate has issued an order of dismissal from service to three customs officials, sending out a strong message against abetting smuggling.
Sumit Kumar, Customs Commissioner (Preventive), Cochin, issued the dismissal orders of Rahul Kumar Sharma from Delhi, Sakendra Paswan from Bihar and Krishan Kumar from Uttar Pradesh. Their services were terminated after they were charged with abetting attempted smuggling of over 11 kg of gold through the Kannur airport on August 19, 2019. The three were charged along with Rahul Pandit, Inspector of Customs, who was removed from the services in 2019.
According to the officials in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the three dismissed officials were just four years into service when they were found conniving with smugglers. After joining the department in Kochi, they were later posted to the Kannur International Airport when flight operations had just begun.
Tip-off
The officials said an internal investigation was carried out after receiving information pointing to four Customs officials conniving with smugglers to bring gold into the country.
An official said it was found that the smugglers were using not just Customs officials, but also possibly ground handling staff, airlines staff, clinic supervisors and air hostesses.
