Female cabin crew member held for smuggling gold in rectum at Kannur airport

When the team initiated the personal search of cabin crew member at the airport, it found 960 grams of smuggled gold in compound form concealed in her rectum.

Published on: May 31, 2024, 13:39:44 IST

By HT News Desk

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A female flight attendant of Air India Express was apprehended at Kannur International Airport for allegedly smuggling around one kilogram of gold from Muscat to the Kerala town by concealing it in her rectum, news agency PTI reported, citing the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sources.

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According to the DRI Cochin officials, the intelligence agency intercepted the cabin crew member named Surabhi Khatun, a native of Kolkata, who arrived from Muscat at Kannur on May 28.

When the team initiated the personal search of Khatun at the airport, it found 960 grams of smuggled gold in compound form concealed in her rectum. After interrogation and completing the necessary formalities, she was produced before the jurisdictional magistrate and remanded to 14 days to women's prison in Kannur, the report added.

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This is the first time in India where an airline crew member has been apprehended for smuggling gold. A detailed investigation has started and the evidence gathered so far suggests she had previously smuggled gold several times. The involvement of Kerala-based individuals in the smuggling gang is also being investigated, the report added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Delhi customs detained two people at Delhi airport for allegedly smuggling 500 grams of gold. One of those detained claimed he was the personal assistant of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. Reacting to the report, union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the CPM and the Congress are an "alliance of gold smugglers".

The person, who has reportedly claimed to be associated with the Congress MP, has been identified as Shiv Kumar Prasad.

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Earlier on May 28, three Sri Lankan men were arrested at Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle gold worth around ₹1.23 crore. The accused were arrested in two separate cases. The detailed examination and personal search of the passenger resulted in recovery of gold weighing 860.38 grams, valued at ₹55 lakh, the department said in a statement.

(With inputs from PTI)

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HT News Desk
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