Smuggling at Airport: Four more land in CBI

KOCHI: Four persons, who were accused of smuggling electronic goods from Singapore through the Cochin International Airport, were arrested by the Kochi unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI)on Wednesday night.  Later, the CBI court in Kochi remanded them in judicial custody for three days. The arrested are Ibrahim,40, Murughan,34, Mujeeb Rahman,40, and Prince Joseph,33. Prince Joseph is a native of Chalakudy and a clearing agent at Nedumbasserry airport and other three are from Tamil Nadu.   According to the CBI officials, Murughan was driver of the lorry in which the smuggled goods were transported toChennai. Prince Joseph had arranged the lorry from Nedumbassery and cleared the consignment in the name of 20 passengers without their knowledge. Earlier, the CBI had arrested four Customs officials who helped clear the goods from Customs checking at the airport.  The CBI has to arrest key accused Jinabhai alias Kadhar Moideen and Abhugani in the case.  The case was registered following the seizure of electronic goods such as digital cameras and mobile phones from Sriperumbadur in Tamil Nadu in 2010. The remand report stated that the arrested persons booked consignment under 20 passengers without their knowledge. Later, the accused cleared the consignment with the assistance of Customs officials at the airport.The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had intercepted and seized the consignment brought in as unaccompanied baggage worth `1.35 crore. Later, the case was handed over to the CBI as Customs officials were involved in the case.