A Jet Airways flight attendant was arrested on Friday for trying to smuggle in gold and cut diamonds to the tune of over Rs 1 crore.
A Jet Airways flight attendant was arrested on Friday for trying to smuggle in gold and cut diamonds to the tune of over Rs 1 crore.
Abdul Hafiz Khatri, a crew member of flight 9W 543, was coming from Dubai, when Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officials intercepted him at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA).
"Four kilograms of gold and 145 cut diamonds, worth over Rs 1.6 crore, were recovered from him," said deputy commissioner, AIU, Kiran Kumar.
Where did Khatri get the gold from?
"Khatri admitted that a passenger handed him the consignment inside the flight," said a senior official from AIU. One of his accomplices, who was waiting outside the airport terminal to take over the consignment, has also been arrested.
Are involvement of airport insiders growing?
At least 15 cases were detected at CSIA last year. Last month, an employee of Celebi Nas, a ground-handling service provider, was held with 40 gold bars, worth over Rs 1.5 crore. The yellow metal was reportedly concealed inside a company envelope. The accused has been identified as Rohan Suresh Surve.
What is Jet Airways saying?
A company spokesperson said: "The matter is under investigation and we cannot comment on this issue. Jet Airways is extending all co-operation to investigating agencies. It is mandatory for all employees to comply with the company's rules and regulations and the prevalent customs, immigration and security laws. Any violation of these will lead to disciplinary action by the company and action as per appropriate rule of law."
Any other case on Friday?
Two passengers, identified as Sagar Janardan Dave and Rasiklal, were intercepted after they cleared themselves through the green channel. Three kilogram of crude gold bars worth Rs 74 lakh were recovered from them. The duo held Madagascar passports and arrived by flight KQ 202 from Kenya.
What is AIU doing?
The AIU had written to Air India in February, informing it about the involvement of two its crew members in smuggling gold worth over Rs 2 crore, during a domestic leg of an international flight. AIU, in its letter, stated that the airline should warn its crew against getting into such anti-social activities and get themselves checked by the customs department at the CSIA.
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