Air India Express cabin crew arrested with 1.4 kg gold 'wrapped around hands' at Kochi airport

The crew member of the Bahrain-Kozhikode-Kochi Air India Express flight was arrested with gold wrapped around his hands by the Customs department on Wednesday.

A cabin crew member of the Air India Express flight was caught at the Cochin International Airport in Kerala on Wednesday, for allegedly smuggling over 1.4 kg gold, the Customs Preventive Commissionerate said. The crew of Bahrain-Kozhikode-Kochi flight was arrested with gold wrapped around his hands by the Customs department.

The crew person, identified as Shafi, a native of Wayanad ws held at the airport by the Customs dept.(ANI)

The crew member was identified as Shafi, a native Wayanad and was held on a tip about the alleged smuggling of 1487 grams of gold.

As per reports, he planned on smuggling the gold by wrapping it around his hands and covering it though his sleeves, evading the security points. A photo of the accused also surfaced, showing him with the gold wrapped on both of his hands, as he stood in his uniform. Further interrogation is underway in the matter, the officials noted.

The airline, on the matter, said that the crew member has been suspended with immediate effect and asserted that the airline had zero tolerance for such behaviour. The airline said it would take stringent action on the accused staff including termination of service following receipt of the report from the authorities.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, gold weighing 6.8 kg valued at ₹3.32 crores, was recovered from two passengers, who arrived from Singapore on Wednesday, Chennai Customs said. The passengers were searched based on an intel, the customs department said in a tweet, adding that an investigation was underway.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)