Gold smuggling quotation: three gangs had reached Karipur airport, says Customs

KOCHI: The Customs probe team told the court that Arjun Ayanki had smuggled the gold with the help of Kodi Suni and KK Shafi, the accused in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case. This is stated in the remand report of Mohammad Shafeeq, the accused in the Karipur gold quotation case. Shafeeq, who was produced before the Ernakulam Additional CJM court, has been remanded to Kakkanad district jail till Tuesday.

Three gangs

According to Shafeeq, three gangs had reached the Karipur airport to steal 2.33 kg of gold, which arrived at the airport on the morning of June 21. Shafeeq was assigned and trained by the Koduvally gang to smuggle gold. Later, he got close to Arjun Ayanki's gang. However, he told Customs that it was decided to hand over the gold to another group that time. Arjun Ayanki had assured Shafeeq that Kodi Suni and Shafi would protect him in case of any threat to the gold smuggling. Kodi Suni and Shafi had taken up the quotation to protect the carriers and robbers of the gold smuggling gangs from the attacks of the opposite gangs. Various groups in Koduvally, Kozhikode, and Kannur are involved in gold smuggling. There are also special teams working for them in Dubai. According to Customs, the gold smuggling gangs often used to kidnap people at the Karipur airport.

Shafeeq, who was produced in court yesterday, requested that he should not be remanded to the Manjeri jail as he had received death threats from the quotations team members from Cherpulassery in the Manjeri jail. Shafeeq identified the photo of the man who threatened him. He was later remanded to Kakkanad Jail by the court.

Arjun Ayanki's wife questioned
Amala, the wife of Arjun Ayangi, the accused in the Karipur gold smuggling case, appeared at the customs office for questioning. She was questioned for several hours on Monday. The interrogation started at 11.30 am and continued till late at night. She was mainly questioned regarding the details of Arjun's source of income.