Sixteen customs officials have been identified in a CBI investigation in a case of gold missing from the customs vaults at the Trichy customs and excise department.  In the investigation it was found that two duplicate keys had been used to open the vault and the gold bars replaced with imitation ones, reported Times of India.  According to the report, atleast 30 kg of gold which had been seized at the Trichy airport and the highway checkposts were missing.  Explaining the nexus between smugglers and officials, the report said that gold which was stolen would be replaced in the vaults everytime the smuggling cases came up in court for hearing. The gold would then be given back to smugglers and the officials would be given imitation gold to replace in the vaults, said the report.  Officials would be given bribes for the fraud, said the report. Sixteen officials in the rank of superintendent and inspector have been identified in the investigation.