THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state's international airports have become perennial centres of gold smuggling with well-paid and empowered Customs officials joining hands with the smuggling mafia. Such officials are preparing a safe way to take kilos of gold out of the airport without getting caught.

Customs inspectors get a monthly salary of Rs.3.4 lakhs. They also have allowances. The monthly salary of the superintendent is around Rs 1 lakh. Officials get a reward ranging from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh for helping to smuggle one kg of gold safely. Some officials get bribes from smugglers every month.

Two customs inspectors were arrested by DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) on Wednesday night for conniving in smuggling 80 kg of gold in Thiruvananthapuram. The DRI nabbed the Customs officials after tapping their phone calls with the smugglers. Gold smuggling is taking place at Karipur, Kochi and Kannur Thiruvananthapuram airports.

It has been alleged that gold smuggling mafias use their influence to get tainted officials into Air Customs. Most of the smuggling happens when such tainted officials are on duty. Recently, 14 customs officials were dismissed for their involvement in gold smuggling. A case was registered against about two dozen people. Yet, there is no reduction in smuggling and connivance.

Despite phones being rigorously monitored and CCTV surrounding the Customs areas in airports, some Customs officials nevertheless collude with the smugglers. Gold left untouched by Customs sometimes gets caught during inspections by the DRI and the police.