Women held with $ 2 lakh at airport

Kolkata: Two women have been arrested at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport with huge amount of foreign currency on Wednesday morning. Suspicion grew within Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, who was screening the baggage on the scanner machine, during the checking as he felt there was something doubtful about the image during scanning.

According to CISF authority, on Wednesday, around 9 am, when baggage checking for an Imphal-bound flight was going on, the on-duty CISF officer noticed a suspicious image on the scanner screen. To investigate the matter, the CISF personnel decided to check the baggage physically.

The passenger, A Mumtaj, was also detained for inquiry. After opening the baggage CISF personnel found that a false compartment was created on the bottom of the bag. Immediately, that of the bag portion was cut open and cops found 33,000 US dollars there.

Another CISF personnel, who was deployed at the scanner when the checking of Mumtaz's baggage was going on, noticed that another baggage passed through scanner looked suspicious.

Immediately that bag was also segregated. Later Mumtaz claimed that the second baggage also belongs to her. Immediately, the other was also opened and cops found 33,600 US dollars there.

Following the detention of Mumtaz, CISF Surveillance Team scrutinised the CCTV camera footage and found that prior to security check Mumtaz was in contact with another lady passenger who wearing a veil. On the basis of electronic and manual surveillance, the lady was identified as Praveen Banu Abu Backer who was supposed to travel to Imphal in the same flight. Immediately, she was located and brought to security hold area.

During questioning and checking of boarding pass of both the passengers, it was found that the duo had booked two registered baggage for each in the flight. Later, in coordination with Custom officials and concerned airline's officials, other two baggage were retrieved and were physically checked in presence of the Custom's and airline's officials. After thorough checking it was found that those also contain false bottom where high volume of foreign currency was concealed.

During counting it was found that in total 2 lakh US dollars were hidden in the bags. Police seized the money and immediately both the lady passengers along with the money were handed over to Customs department for further legal action.