Customs Superintendent Preeti Aarya is suspended over allegations of aiding a gold smuggling syndicate, operating at Ahmedabad and Surat airports when she was on duty at these airports.
After prima facie involvement found, departmental inquiry was initiated aginst Arya. It revealed that She would clear female carriers who were smuggling gold to avoid suspicion.Three women were caught in Mumbai with smuggled gold. They were coming to Surat.
A vigilance inquiry was launched and the investigation implicated Aarya, who was previously part of the Air Intelligence Unit at Ahmedabad Airport. Further investigation uncovered that Aarya continued her activities even when she was on duty at Surat Airport.
The involvement of staffers in smuggling have been found in multiple cases in recent years. Chennai-based gang had smuggled gold worth ₹200 crore from Ahmedabad and Surat airports over two years with corrupt customs officials’ help. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials had arrested seven individuals, including airport manager Meena, following a tip-off about the smuggling operation.
The DRI team had arrested two passengers at the airport and eight people from a hotel near Airport Circle in Ahmedabad. The team seized ₹7 crore worth of gold paste from the carriers staying at the hotel.
Following the arrests, the department transferred seven officials from Ahmedabad airport and appointed new officials.