Cofeposa against 2 Keralites in gold smuggling involving Irish national

KOCHI: The Central Advisory Board for Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (

COFEPOSA

) has issued detention orders against two Keralalites for their roles in smuggling over 126 kg of gold through Cochin International Airport Limited (Cial).

Tariq Akbar Muhammed of Edappally and Nibu Mathew Varghese of Freedom road near Kaloor, both aged 30, are the two hailing from Ernakulam against whom detention orders have been issued.

The accused, who are also classmates, have been evading

arrest

ever since the arrest of Dubai-based Irish national Andrew Edwin Minihan who had acted as carrier for them.

According to Customs sleuths, it was Tariq who had supplied gold to Minihan who smuggled over 126 kg gold through Cial in multiple trips to Kerala and handed over the contraband to Nibu.

Minihan who was held with 10 kg of fold at Cial in July last year is currently under preventive detention in Poojappura central prison after COFEPOSA was invoked against him in September last year.

The Central COFEPOSA Advisory Board issued the detention orders against the duo after Customs requested for the same. The order will be sent to state

police

chief who will direct respective police stations to take further action. However, imposition of the act, pending a judicial confirmation, can be challenged during a sitting of the COFEPOSA board within a period of 72 weeks.

According to Customs officials, Tariq is said to be hiding in Dubai while Nibu is remaining elusive within the country by frequently shifting hideouts. Customs had earlier traced a car used by Nibu in Karnataka from where he is believed to have come back to Kerala through Mysore.

The Customs had also announced a bounty of Rs 10,000 for those providing actionable information about Nibu.

Customs officials said that Minihan had confessed of smuggling over 126 kg of gold through Cial in 12 trips on behalf of Tariq and Nibu before getting arrested. Minihan allegedly became a carrier for Tariq to repay the money he had borrowed following a loss in his business.

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