The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Mumbai Customs today arrested the security officer of Etihad Airways on charges of gold smuggling from the Chhatrapati Shivaji international airport here.
"We have arrested officer Deepak Golani and he will be produced in the court tomorrow," said Milind Lanjewar, Additional Commissioner of Customs adding that this was the 18th case this financial year where an airport staff was held.
AIU officials said that they initially intercepted a passenger Sunil Jagwani who arrived from Abu Dhabi this morning and recovered 1,348 grams of gold barks and biscuits valued at Rs 33.08 lakhs concealed inside cigarette packets.
Jagwani was caught while he was handing over the gold to Golani. The duo was later arrested.
Jagwani in his statement told the Customs officials that he has handed over the gold to Gonani on four earlier occasions.
This has been corroborated through messages, call details and CCTV footages, the officials said.
In this financial year, the AIU has till now seized 147 kilograms of gold.
An Etihad Airways spokesperson said: "Etihad Airways adheres to all international standards for its staff and does not tolerate behaviour that contravenes international or local laws and regulations. The airline will continue to assist the authorities in their investigation of this matter.”
