Gold smuggling: CBI to bring out mafia-official collusion at Karipur

MALAPPURAM: After Customs superintendent P Muniyappa was caught with gold smuggling at Karipur airport, the CBI is on the scene to bring out the gold smuggling-official collusion and lock up the big men. The Kochi unit has started initial information collection on the Muniyappa incident.

With the arrest of two customs superintendents and a havildar within a month, Karipur is on the CBI's watch. It is alleged that some officials of the customs are in the hands of big mafias.

Although gold smuggling is caught from time to time, many times it goes undetected. The information received by the investigating agencies is that there is connivance of some people in customs in many of them. Only hired carriers are caught. The investigation does not extend to the giants behind.

Several officials of Karipur have been under police surveillance for some time. That's how Muniappa gets caught by chance. The limited access of the police to check inside the airport also makes it easier for the official-mafia nexus. Kidnappings and murders are often carried out at the behest of gold smuggling gangs. In June 2021, five gang youths died in a car accident in Kozhikode's Ramanatukara. On May 13, Irshad, a native of Pandirikara, was abducted and killed by a gold smuggling gang who came to Karipur.

Behind smuggling
20 grams of gold for men and 40 grams for women can be brought duty-free for a year abroad. 15% duty fee is payable to bring in gold of 24 carats. The tax is 38.5 percent for those returning from a short visit. Carriers return to the Gulf at intervals of days. Smuggling is to evade duty. If the customs are convinced that the goods are smuggled, apart from the 38.5 percent tax, a penalty of 30 percent has to be paid and there will be a case.

Caught

107 cases from August to January 2021 (123 kg)

From January 2022 till now 49 cases (71 kg)