Kerala Gold Smuggling: NIA arrests Swapna Suresh, another accused from B’luru

Team Udayavani, Jul 11, 2020, 9:43 PM IST

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested Swapna Suresh, a key suspect in the gold smuggling bid through diplomatic baggage in Bengaluru here.

Swapna was arrested alongwith another accused Sandeep Nair informed official sources.

The case pertains to the seizure of 30 kg of 24 carat gold worth Rs 14.82 crore at Trivandrum International Airport on July 5 by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi. The consignment was found camouflaged in diplomatic baggage from the UAE that is exempted from inspection as per the Vienna Convention.

A case has been registered against four persons – P .S. Sarith, Swapna Prabha Suresh, Fazil Fareed and Sandeep Nair – under Sections 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Opposing the anticipatory bail application of Swapna Suresh, who is on the run, the counsels for the Centre and the NIA said she had criminal antecedents and was ‘involved’ in arranging diplomatic papers for the smuggling of the over 30 kg gold seized by the Customs recently in Thiruvananthapuram.