Seven held for posing as Customs officers, ripping-off smugglers

Howrah City Police on Friday arrested  seven people who posed as Customs officers and looted gold off a smuggler at Howrah railway station. A Central Intelligence branch officer and two retired Customs officers were among the seven who were booked  by the police.

Explaining the modus operandi of the accused, Commissioner of Howrah City Police DP Singh said that the group targeted gold smugglers who generally tried to sneak past the security barrier at 

Howrah Station.

The accused used to identify themselves as Customs officers, and looted the contraband from the smugglers. “On Friday, they were waiting for a smuggler to come to the Howrah station. They earlier had the information that a smuggler will come to Howrah station via Kamrup Express, who would have hefty quantity of gold with him. The team of investigators from the detective department of the Howrah City Police were also present there to catch the accused red-handed,” Singh added.

As the accused person approached the smugglers and apprehended him with the gold, the team of investigators from Howrah Police reacted immediately and caught the accused.

“The smuggler was carrying five kg gold and was coming from Assam. The accused persons, who might have some connection in the Customs department, received the information. They were waiting for the arrival of the smuggler. Our police team was also waiting for the opportunity to catch them there,” said the Commissioner.

Police also stated that the arrested persons were working as a gang and the seven made elaborated plans before going into any operation. It may be mentioned here that a huge amount of gold was recovered from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport a few days ago, followed by a 

similar seizure of gold from the Sealdah railway station as well.

In the first incident, a security team of NSCB International airport at Kolkata intercepted two persons who were later arrested for smuggling gold biscuits. Police said that the accused were trying to sneak past the security system with biscuits inside a hidden compartment of their briefcases.

The bars, worth Rs 12 lakh, were brought from Bangkok to Kolkata via Bhutan.

In the second incident, three persons were arrested on Sunday and reportedly 70 gold biscuits seized from them at the busy Sealdah station as they were about to board a Delhi-bound train.

Acting on information regarding transhipment of gold biscuits from Sealdah to New Delhi railway 

station, a special task force of Railway Protection Force, Sealdah detained three persons from platform number 9A/B before they could board the train.