Chennai airport to heighten security amid rising gold smuggling cases involving contract staff

Customs, DRI to step up security at Chennai airport

In response to a concerning rise in gold smuggling incidents involving contract staff, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Customs Department have proposed enhanced security measures at Chennai International Airport.

A senior DRI official revealed to news agency IANS that the involvement of contract staff in gold smuggling has increased, prompting the agency to recommend tighter security protocols at the airport. The official highlighted the need for container scanners to inspect vehicles from catering companies and fuel suppliers, which frequently enter and exit the airport. The current security setup, they noted, has made it challenging to detect gold concealed in these vehicles.

This move follows the recent arrest of two contract sanitation workers, P Deepak and Pachu Muthu, who were caught attempting to smuggle gold worth Rs.1.5 crore. The duo, employed in toilet cleaning, had reportedly collected the gold from a passenger arriving from Dubai. During interrogation, they admitted they were promised Rs.15,000 each for their involvement.

Sources from the DRI and Customs Department expressed concern over the increasing collusion between contract staff and smuggling syndicates, exploiting security loopholes to facilitate gold smuggling. To address this, they have proposed increasing the number of security personnel at key airport gates and assigning additional staff to oversee vehicles involved in catering and fuel operations.

The issue of gold smuggling has broader implications, with intelligence reports linking such activities to funding for organized networks. Previously, there were concerns about the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a designated terrorist organization, using smuggling routes to finance their operations. A senior LTTE operative, Sabesan, was arrested in Chennai in October 2021 for drug smuggling and indicated that the group was also engaged in gold smuggling.

Given these developments, DRI and Customs have requested the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to reinforce security measures at the airport to counter organized smuggling operations and ensure tighter control over airport security.

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