On March 8, 2023, a member of the Air India Express cabin crew was detained at Cochin International Airport (COK) on suspicion of smuggling gold.
The Customs department’s Air Intelligence Unit at COK Airport arrested the cabin staff member after 1.487 grams of gold were found on him. The crew just got off an aircraft from Bahrain to Kozhikode to Kochi.
The crew member sought to hide his forearms with the long sleeves of his airline uniform by wrapping the gold packages around them.
Air India Express acknowledged the event and announced that the crew member had been suspended.
“A member of the crew on an Air India Express flight IX 474 has been taken into custody following an incident involving smuggling. The said individual has been placed on suspension with immediate effect,” Air India Express said in a statement seen by local news.
Kochi | Air India cabin crew Shafi, a native of Wayanad, was arrested at Kochi Airport for smuggling 1,487 gms of gold. The cabin crew was of Bahrain-Kozhikode-Kochi service. Further interrogation underway: Customs Preventive Commissionerate pic.twitter.com/1nxVzF2fA7
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2023
“Air India Express has zero tolerance for such behavior and will be taking stern action against the individual including termination of service following receipt of the report from the investigative authorities,” the statement added.
Police are currently investigating the case.
