PANAJI
The recent seizure of 38 prohibited high-quality drones from the Dabolim airport has raised serious concerns about security checks at Dabolim airport, prompting calls for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Last week, the Goa branch of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had arrested five passengers arriving from Dubai at Dabolim airport early Tuesday morning on charges of smuggling 38 prohibited drones, gold and other items worth a combined Rs 2.12 crore.
"This is a serious matter related to national security. Five accused have been arrested with drones and this could be a syndicate operating in connivance with airport staff,” said activist Shailendra Velingkar, who had earlier raised the issue of smuggling through Dabolim.
Pointing out that the drones seized at Dabolim airport are high quality combo drones fitted with 48-megapixel cameras with a range of 18.5 kms, Velingkar said he would petition the prime minister and home minister about the drone smuggling in Goa.
“This incident needs to be probed from all angles. It is next to impossible to import sophisticated high-quality drones without the involvement of various officials posted at the airport like staff from airlines, customs and other agencies,” said Velingkar.
Meanwhile, all five accused arrested by the DRI in the smuggling case have been granted bail by the JMFC at Margao on Tuesday.
The five accused “ Wasid Ali Khan (Bihar), Junedul Haq (Mumbai), Junet Afzal Shaikh (Mumbai), Mohammad Ayub (Uttar Pradesh) and Mohsin Raza (Uttar Pradesh) “ had been arrested on charges of smuggling 38 prohibited high quality combo drones (Rs 49,08,156), 2.291 kgs of gold (Rs 1,11,02,515), 8 old laptops and 4,379 packets of American tobacco (Rs 52,50,421). Each of these 30 gramme packets of tobacco is valued at Rs 1,199. The combined value of the seized items is worth Rs 2,12,61,092.
