In two cases, 10 kg gold worth ₹6.2 crore seized at airport; 4 held

According to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), three people, identified as Mohammad Umar Mohammad Harun Fazlwala, Farheen Salim Vareveria and Mudassar Ayub Dochkhi, were involved in the first case, while in the second case, the accused – identified as Afzal Abubakar Vallah – was the solo operator of the crime

Mumbai: Four people were arrested in two separate cases at the airport for allegedly smuggling 10 kg gold worth ₹6.20 crore. The entire booty has been seized.

“Acting swiftly on further intelligence, one more associate of the duo was apprehended. The gold in bar form weighing eight kgs recovered during examination valued at Rs. 4.94 crore was seized,” the official added. Fazlwala and Vareveria are residents of Surat, while Dochkhi is a resident of Jamnagar. (Image for representation)

According to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), three people, identified as Mohammad Umar Mohammad Harun Fazlwala, Farheen Salim Vareveria and Mudassar Ayub Dochkhi, were involved in the first case, while in the second case, the accused – identified as Afzal Abubakar Vallah – was the solo operator of the crime.

In the first case, the DRI acted on a specific tip-off about two passengers who arrived from Sharjah to Mumbai on Sunday by an Air India flight IX252, DRI officials said, adding, “They were intercepted and while checking, eight gold bars of 24 carat weighing eight kilograms were found concealed inside their clothes around their waist.”

“Acting swiftly on further intelligence, one more associate of the duo was apprehended. The gold in bar form weighing eight kgs recovered during examination valued at Rs. 4.94 crore was seized,” the official added. Fazlwala and Vareveria are residents of Surat, while Dochkhi is a resident of Jamnagar.

In the second case, the agency intercepted Afzal Abubakar Vallah, a Goregaon resident, at the airport who was coming from Dubai to Mumbai on Saturday. While checking his baggage, the agency found 56 ladies’ purses.

“During a further check, 24-carat golds were found concealed in the form of silver-coloured metal wires under the metallic strips of the ladies’ purses,” the DRI official said, adding, “The recovered gold wires were found to be having a net weight of 2kg worth ₹1.24 crore. The accused was arrested in the case and it appears that he was directly involved in the planning and execution of the gold smuggling.”

Further investigations are underway, added the DRI official.