2 Mumbai airport cleaning staff held for smuggling Rs 1.6 crore foreign gold
Mumbai (PTI): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested two cleaning staff at Mumbai airport for allegedly trying to smuggle foreign-origin gold valued at Rs 1.6 crore, officials said on Sunday.
Investigations point to a smuggling syndicate that used international passengers to hide gold in the aircraft on arrival, which was later retrieved by the airport staff with insider access, an official said.
The two accused, employees of an airport services company, were apprehended on Saturday, the official said.
The DRI had specific information that foreign-origin gold was being smuggled through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here by concealing it within the aircraft and retrieving it through insider airport staff.
Accordingly, a discreet surveillance was mounted at the airport.
A team leader of the cleaning staff was seen hurriedly placing a packet on the aerobridge staircase upon noticing the DRI sleuths, the official said.
The packet was later recovered and found to contain gold dust in wax form, concealed under a white cloth, he said.
The staff member was immediately apprehended and, during interrogation, he admitted to hiding the packet to avoid detection, the official said.
He further told officials that his supervisor had retrieved the gold from an aircraft and handed it to him. Based on his statement, the supervisor was also arrested, the official said.
In total, 1.2 kg of gold dust of 24-karat purity, valued at around Rs 1.6 crore, was seized under the Customs Act, he added.
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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