Gold smuggling accused gets bail
HERALD REPORTER
VASCO, JUNE 19
Barely hours after he was remanded to seven days judicial custody in connection with the illegal possession of gold worth Rs 51 lakh, Sayeed Mohammed was released on bail after his brother moved a bail application before the Vasco Judicial Magistrate First Class on Friday evening.
Muhammed, a resident of Bhatkal-Karnataka, was arrested by Dabolim airport’s Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Commissionerate of Customs on his arrival from Dubai on charges of illegally possessing 3.8 kgs of white gold worth Rs 50.94 lakh in the wee hours of Friday
The accused was remanded to seven days judicial custody as no one had moved for his bail application.
In the evening, the brother of the accused moved the bail application and JMFC Judge granted conditional bail to the accused, who was represented by Advocate Dileshwar Naik.
According to sources in the Customs, illegal import of gold to avoid import duty and other fees has increased in recent times and customs authorities have recently arrested seven persons, mostly from Bhatkal-Karnataka, at Chennai and Hyderabad airports.
During investigations, it was revealed that the accused had allegedly imported gold on different occasions from Dubai and would land in different airports in the country to avoid suspicion.
He landed at Dabolim airport for the first time, but his luck ran out as he was nabbed by Customs officials.
