In a case related to smuggling of 25 kg of gold through Trivandrum International Airport, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials arrested a Customs Superintendent on Friday.

V Radhakrishnan, Customs Superintendent at the airport was arrested for his alleged involvement in facilitating gold smuggling.

The DRI made the arrest after establishing that maximum smuggling of gold took place when his team of officials was on duty at Trivandrum International Airport.

A Thiruvananthapuram native Serena was arrested on May 13 for smuggling 25 kg of gold through the airport. According to reports, Serena has travelled to and from Dubai and Kerala six times. The investigating officers found through CCTV visuals that whenever Serena came to the airport, Radhakrishnan was on duty at the X-ray scanning system, reports ManoramaOnline.

The visuals showed instances of Radhakrishnan moving aside another customs officer who was on duty and replacing him. Radhakrishnan was then seen passing Serena’s hand baggage through the scanner, ManoramaOnline report states.

Radhakrishanan was called to the Kochi DRI office on Thursday as part of the investigation and was arrested on Friday. As per reports, DRI officials had questioned Radhakrishnan four times before and had also searched his house in Thiruvananthapuram.

The DRI also arrested an accountant of a gold shop in Thiruvananthapuram and the duo have been remanded to judicial custody.

For the past six months, the DRI was keeping a close tab on the airport following seizure of 25 kg gold worth Rs 8 crore. Following the arrest of the two persons, the DRI team also learnt about the involvement of a lawyer couple.

(With inputs from IANS)