Man Tries To Smuggle 1.16 Kg Gold Hidden In Lamp, Arrested At Kerala Airport

A man was arrested after police seized 1.16 kg of smuggled gold allegedly concealed inside an emergency lamp, officials said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Aslam, was arrested after he brought the lamp out of Karipur International Airport in Kozhikode by evading customs checks. He was held upon exiting the airport after arriving from Dubai on a Flynas flight.

Police said that 10 gold bars were hidden inside the emergency lamp. Acting on specific intelligence, officers intercepted the passenger and recovered the contraband.

A case has been registered and further investigation was launched to find out the intended recipients of the smuggled gold and whether a larger smuggling network was involved.

The latest seizure adds to a string of gold smuggling cases detected at Karipur International Airport in recent months. Earlier this month, Kerala Police intercepted a passenger who had allegedly concealed more than one kilogram of gold inside his body after arriving from Ras Al Khaimah. Investigators also detained two men who were allegedly waiting outside the airport to collect the smuggled gold, pointing to the involvement of organised carrier networks.

Karipur has continued to witness frequent enforcement action against gold smuggling. The issue has also reached the Kerala High Court, where questions have been raised over the respective roles of Customs and Kerala Police in handling seizures made in and around the airport's customs-notified area. Police have also cracked down on gangs targeting suspected gold carriers outside the airport, highlighting the persistent challenge posed by organised smuggling syndicates operating through the airport.

Sources within police quarters raised suspicion of certain customs officials colluding in the crime and their inability to track such carriers.

In December last year, Kerala Police told the Kerala High Court that there were instances of negligence of duty by Customs officials and even raised the possibility of collusion with gold smuggling networks

Customs, in turn, filed an affidavit accusing Kerala Police of overstepping their jurisdiction, conducting searches without following Customs Act procedures, and not informing Customs about several seizures made in the customs-notified area.