Safferali held for trying to smuggle gold worth 1.5 crore through new route

WAYANAD: Gold mixture of 2.266 kilo worth Rs.1.5 crore was seized at Muthanga Excise Check post. T C Safferali, a resident of Koduvally and a passenger of KSRTC bus bound for Kozhikode, was nabbed while trying to smuggle gold. He was trying to smuggle the yellow mixture filled in tubular flux packets and worn around the waist like a belt. The accused and the stuff were handed over to the enforcement GST team.

Preventive officers Rajesh Komath, P K Manoj Kumar, civil excise officers Rajeevan K V, Mahesh KM and women civil excise officers Prasanna and Anita were in the vehicle inspection conducted under the direction of excise inspector A G Thampy.

Meantime, a youth nabbed with synthetic drugs in Kollam was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs one lakh. 25-year-old Amal, a native of Karikkuzhi was arrested on July 20 last year in a raid conducted by excise special squad inspector Vishnu. 80 grams of methamphetamine was recovered from him. The accused bought drugs from Bangalore and delivered them to Kerala and retailed them at double the price.