NIA arrests wanted accused in Rs 15 crore gold smuggling case

New Delhi [India], September 20 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested a Kerala man wanted in a case related to the seizure of 30 kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crore at Trivandrum International Airport in 2020, said an official release.
According to an official press release by the NIA, "The accused identified as Ratheesh, a resident of Kerala's Kannur district had been absconding in the Trivandrum gold smuggling case in which 30 kg of the contraband was seized in 2020."
"Ratheesh was taken into custody on arrival from Dubai, UAE, in NIA case (RC02/2020/NIA/KOC)," it added.
As per the release, the accused was a fugitive member of the gang involved in the smuggling of huge quantities of gold from various countries into India through diplomatic channels between 2019 and 2020.
"The NIA had launched a manhunt for six of the absconding gang members, including Ratheesh, and had filed chargesheets against 20 accused on 5 January 2021," it said.

NIA investigations had revealed that Ratheesh, an associate of charge-sheeted accused Hamsath Abdu Salam, had collected the smuggled gold from Trivandrum and transported it for sale to one Nandakumar of Coimbatore, said the release.

The release further said, "The contraband of 30 kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crores was seized on 5 July 2020, at Air Cargo of Trivandrum International Airport by Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Cochin, from a piece of baggage addressed to a senior diplomat stationed in Thiruvananthapuram."

Investigations in the case are continuing and a search is on for the remaining absconders, said the official release. (ANI)