Cabin Crew Held in Kerala’s Kannur After Nearly 1 kg Gold Found in Rectum

An Air India Express cabin crew member was arrested at Kannur airport in Kerala for attempting to smuggle nearly one kilogram of gold by concealing it in her rectum. The apprehension took place on Tuesday when Surabhi Khatun, a 26-year-old native of Kolkata, arrived on a flight from Muscat.

Key Points:

She was a cabin crew on Air India Express flight that landed from Muscat on May 28

Around 960 grams gold was found concealed in her rectum

She has been remanded to custody for 14 days in the matter

Based on a specific input, officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted Khatun upon her arrival. A search led to the discovery of 960 grams of gold in compound form hidden in her rectum.

Following the discovery, Khatun was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody. According to sources, the investigation suggested that she had been involved in gold smuggling on several previous occasions. Authorities are also probing the involvement of some Kerala-based individuals in the smuggling racket.

The incident highlights ongoing efforts by customs and intelligence agencies to curb gold smuggling in the region, which remains a significant challenge due to the high value and relatively small size of gold, making it an attractive commodity for smugglers.