Dawood Ibrahim archive image.
The agency said the defendants have visited Tanzania several times, where the underworld has an extensive network.
- News18.com
- Last update: October 15, 2020 11:45 am IST
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India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and his D Company may have ties to the Kerala gold smuggling case, the National Investigative Agency (NIA) told a special court in Kochi. The agency said the defendants have visited Tanzania several times, where the underworld has an extensive network.
“During the custody questioning of Ramees (A-5), he revealed that he had tried to start a diamond business in Tanzania. He had tried to obtain a gold mining license in Tanzania. The defendant also stated that he bought gold from Tanzania and did it. sold in the UAE, “the NIA said.
In September, NIA detectives had claimed that the Holy Quran shipments were taken to the Kerala State Center for Advanced Printing and Training (C-apt) office in Thiruvananthapuram before being distributed to various locations using their vehicles. Official sources said that NIA officials collected detailed information from C-apt officials about the Quran packages brought from the UAE consulate.
Smuggling came to the fore when the Customs (Preventive) Commission, Kochi, seized 30 kg of gold worth 14.82 million rupees found camouflaged in UAE diplomatic baggage on 5 July.
The NIA said that P Mohammed Shafi was the main organizer of the smuggling along with the fifth defendant Rameez since November 2019 and had smuggled gold 21 times through the diplomatic baggage of the UAE consulate, “with the intention of threatening the economic security of India”.
Central agencies, including the NIA, the Directorate of Customs and Compliance, are conducting a separate investigation into the gold seizure. Several people, including two former employees of the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, Swapna Suresh and Sarith PS, were arrested by central bodies in connection with the case.
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