Kerala gold smuggling case: NIA arrests Rabins Hameed, the key conspirator in arranging funds

Kochi, October 27: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested Rabins K. Hameed, a key absconder in the Kerala gold smuggling case, in the Cochin International Airport after deported by the UAE government following Interpol's Blue Corner notice against him.

 

 

NIA said that Hameed while being in India and UAE, conspired with other arrested accused identified as Ramees KT, Jalal AM, and others. The anti-terror probe body has revealed that the accused would arrange funds, buy gold in Dubai, and smuggle into India through diplomatic baggage.

 

 

As per NIA's statement, he also arranged for the concealment of gold in electronics or electrical equipment and household items in the UAE, for smuggling the contraband to Kerala's capital city of Thiruvananthapuram.

 

 

According to the NIA, the 42-year-old Hameed landed at the Kochi International Airport from Dubai on Monday (26 October) and was arrested by the anti-terror probe agency. Rabins will be produced before the special court on October 27th and the NIA will seek his custody. It should also be noted that the case comes to light after when P.S. Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here, was arrested by the Customs department on July 5 when he was allegedly facilitating the smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram.

 

The NIA special court at Ernakulam had issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest against the fugitive Rabins Hameed (A-10). He is also learned to have arranged for the concealment of gold in electronics or electrical equipment and household items in the UAE, for smuggling the contraband to Thiruvananthapuram, through diplomatic baggage.