The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested three people in connection with the Kerala gold smuggling case. The arrested have been identified as Swapna Suresh, Sarith PS and Sandeep Nair — all key accused in the case. The three had till now been in the custody of the NIA, which is probing a terror angle in the smuggling racket. Sources said the ED has taken their custody through an NIA court in Thiruvananthapuram and will question them over the movement of money by those involved in the racket. Their statements will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), sources said. The ED had earlier filed a money laundering case in the matter on the basis of the FIR filed by the NIA. It will investigate if the proceeds of crime were generated by the accused by laundering of funds that were earned through the alleged gold smuggling in diplomatic baggage. The NIA has already arrested 12 people in connection with the case.
