Goa Air India Driver Teams up with Passengers to Bring in Gold

Goa Customs has thwarted a major attempt of gold smuggling at the International Airport on 07.07.2014 and 19.491 kgs of gold valued at Rs. 5,41,84,980/- has been seized. Three international passengers Mohammad Saleem Musbah, Imtiyaz Hussain and Mohammed Asif coming from Dubai by QR-522 have been arrested. The fourth person arrested in the case is Prakash M. Manotgi, a tractor driver with Air India. Another accused and accomplice, Shaikh Mohammed Javid, employee of M/s Minar Travels India (Pvt) Ltd. is absconding and efforts are on to nab him. The modus operandi attempted in the case was that the three passengers handed over the gold to Prakash Manotgi in the corridor after alighting from the Aircraft. This particular transaction in the corridor was noticed by a CISF staffer manning the CCTV room who rushed to inform the Customs and nab the accused. The person receiving the gold was apprehended and the three passengers were then apprehended in the International Arrival Hall. A house belonging to one of accused was searched and Indian currency amounting to Rs. 21,25,000/- and assorted foreign currency of USD 10,524/- and Euro 975/- was recovered.