Gold smuggling operator wanted by NIA brought back to India from UAE

Identified as Muniyad Ali Khan, the accused was involved in providing gold to his associates for smuggling it from Riyadh to India

A key operator in an international gold smuggling network, who was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a 2020 case, has been brought by agencies from the UAE, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

An Interpol red notice was issued against him, and he was geolocated in the UAE. (Representative file photo)

Identified as Muniyad Ali Khan, the accused was involved in providing gold to his associates for smuggling it from Riyadh to India. An Interpol red notice was issued against him, and he was geolocated in the UAE. His return from there was coordinated by the Global Operations Centre of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Gold bars weighing around 18.5 kg were smuggled by a group of persons from Saudi Arabia to Jaipur international airport in July 2020. The NIA, which is investigating the case, filed a charge sheet against 18 individuals in the case including Khan in 2021.

Earlier, in April this year, another wanted accused – Shokat Ali – was returned from Saudi Arabia in the case.

“The Global Operations Centre of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has closely coordinated with NIA and Interpol National Central Bureau - Abu Dhabi for return to India from UAE of Muniyad Ali Khan, a key operator in an international gold smuggling network,” a CBI spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The NIA probe has revealed that Khan “had allegedly conspired in illegal smuggling of gold bars from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia into India along with co-accused persons”.

“He along with co-accused had provided gold bars to be smuggled from Riyadh to Jaipur, India,” the spokesperson added.

“CBI on request of NIA had got Red Notice issued against the subject from Interpol on September 13, 2021, and which was circulated to all law enforcement agencies globally for tracking of the wanted criminal. The subject was geolocated in the UAE. He was returned to India on Tuesday and from Jaipur Airport, a team from NIA has taken over the subject,” the spokesperson added.