At 28, this airport constable made Rs 8 crore

Jabin Basheer (left) got involved in the smuggling for one-and-a-half year starting from November, 2013.

Describing the modus operandi, Customs officials said passengers trained as carriers would bring 10 one-kilo bars each and deposit these in the toilet at the immigration hall, either in the AC or within the flush tank. Later, officials said, Jabin would hide these in his belt that had pockets to hold the bars, and transport them to his car parked outside. His brother Nibin Basheer would arrive in another car, quietly switch vehicles and drive home with the gold to Muvattupuzha, where their father A K Basheer would sell the bars to jewellers or hand them to Naushad, the officials said.

Jabin’s father once ran a store. They were so needy that when the father fell ill a few years ago, neighbours raised money for his treatment. After they became wealthy, Jabin separated from his wife, whom he had married before joining the police in 2011.

Six months after he joined the force, Jabin was sent on deputation to the immigration wing. The Intelligence Bureau handles immigration. He worked there from February 2012 to April this year, the alleged smuggling coming in the last one-and-half years. He was dropped from airport duty following an intelligence report about his smuggling links. Customs sources said these links surfaced following the arrest of Naushad, an alleged hawala operator since the 1990s and the suspected kingpin of the smuggling racket. His alleged network included several youths drawn mainly from Muvattupuzha and trained to work as gold carriers.

Naushad was arrested last month as Customs busted the smuggling group involving airport staff. The crackdown began on March 25, with the seizure of 13 kg gold from a bus ferrying passengers to the aircraft to the terminal. The 32 persons arrested so far include eight ground-handling staff with Bird Worldwide Flight Services. Two inspectors at the immigration wing too were arrested in connection with smuggling earlier this year.

“We have unearthed evidence of 1,800 kg gold smuggled so far,” said a Customs official. “The probe is on and jewel shops which were purchased with money earned from the smuggled gold will come under its purview. We are verifying details of properties and assets owned by Naushad too.”

Customs have raided the properties amassed by Jabin’s family and initiated steps to freeze them.