KOZHIKODE: Directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) officials have foiled a bid to smuggle gold through the Calicut International Airport by concealing it inside a flight catering trolley and sneaking it out in a truck of a flight catering firm.
DRI has arrested three persons, including a cabin crew of Air India Express flight IX 434 which arrived from Sharjah; and driver of a flight catering company in connection with the seizure on October 19.
The arrested are cabin crew Ansar P K of Vettathoor near Perinthalmanna and driver of the flight catering firm CAFS, Ahammed Jamsheer of Kasaragod. DRI had also arrested Kannur native Noufal V who had come to collect the smuggled gold. DRI had recovered 1.2kg of gold worth Rs 61.8 lakh from Jamsheer.
According to DRI sources, the passenger who brought in the gold allegedly handed it over to Ansar and he kept it inside the catering trolley. Jamsheer later removed it from the trolley and was to hand it over to Noufal outside the airport. It is learnt that DRI has taken two other persons into custody.
