Thiruvananthapuram: In a biggest of its kind, a gold smuggling at Thiruvananthapuram airport through diplomatic baggage was caught by the Custom officers when they seized 30 kilograms of gold worth Rs 15 crore. Also it is to be noted that the attempt to smuggle gold through diplomatic baggage is taking place in Kerala for the first time.
Diplomatic baggage is the luggage sent form one country to their respective embassy or consulate in another country. Without the permission of Ministry of External Affairs, security officers cannot check or seize such baggage, boxes or cartons marked as diplomatic baggage.
One of the accused Sarith is being interrogated at Kochi’s Customs Preventive Commission Office. Customs shall record his arrest today. One time smuggling would earn him upto 25 lakhs.
During the interrogation, Sarith revealed that the key conspirator in the case is Swapna Suresh who is a former UAE Consulate employee and currently working in IT Department of the state. According to Customs report, Swapna has gone absconding.
The investigation is also progressing towards her role in the smuggling.
According to latest reports, Swapna has been sacked from the IT Department amid rising allegations of gold smuggling. The IT department also said that her appointment to the department was a temporary move.
