Officials said the raid was carried out after gold was seized from the meat cutting machine that arrived from Dubai on Saturday for a company in which Ibrahimkutty's son Shabin has an investment
Published: 26th April 2022 04:48 PM | Last Updated: 26th April 2022 04:48 PM | A+ A A-
The gold bars seized from a meat cutting machine imported from Dubai (Photo | Special arrangement)
KOCHI: The Customs Commissionerate (Preventive) Kochi on Tuesday carried out a raid at the house of a local Muslim League leader as part of the probe into the seizure of gold bars from a meat cutting machine that arrived from Dubai on Saturday.
The raid was carried out at the residence of Thrikkakara Municipality Vice Chairman and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader AA Ibrahimkutty. Officials said the raid was carried out after gold was seized from the meat cutting machine that arrived at Air Cargo Complex at Kochi airport from Dubai on Saturday for a company in which Ibrahimkutty's son Shabin has an investment.
Customs officials said around 2.23 kg of gold was concealed in the base portion of the meat cutting machine. Customs officials had arrested Thrikkakara native Nakul who came to the airport to receive the cargo. The cutting machine was imported by Thuruthel Entreprises owned by a person named Sirajudheen who is absconding. Shabin is the partner of Sirajudheen in the company. Both Sirajudheen and Shabin are currently absconding. The Customs officials claimed that gold was smuggled on multiple occasions before by concealing the contraband in machines imported by Thurthel Enterprise.
"It was deep concealment and very hard to detect during physical examination of the machine as part of Customs procedures at Air Cargo Complex. Following a tip-off, we intercepted the machine. We dismantled the machine to seize four gold bars concealed at the base part of the machine. It is found that several other types of equipment were imported in the name of Thuruthel Enterprise and gold was smuggled in these goods," an official said.
The raid at Ibrahimkutty's residence started around 8 am on Tuesday and continued till evening. According to Customs officials, several documents and electronic devices including mobile phones were seized during the raid. The Customs Department will summon Ibrahimkutty for interrogation in the coming days. "We have sought the custody of Nakul who is the driver of Sirajudheen. In the detailed interrogation, more details about the gold smuggling operation will be revealed. We suspect that the company was formed as a cover for gold smuggling activities. When the meat cutting machine is available in Kerala for Rs 40,000, they imported the machine from Dubai to smuggle gold," the official said.
However, Ibrahimkutty said that he was not aware of any gold smuggling activities. He claimed that he was also not aware of his son's investment in Thuruthel Enterprise and will cooperate with the Customs probe.
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