Kozhikode: A shocking gold-smuggling investigation in Keralam has taken an unusual and disturbing turn, with investigators examining whether a Ponnani native allegedly used his multiple marriages and even his children as part of a wider network to transport gold into the country.
The case came to light after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested 34-year-old Farooq, a native of Kokkur in Ponnani, Malappuram, at Calicut International Airport after he arrived from Ras Al Khaimah carrying gold worth nearly Rs 1 crore. What has particularly alarmed investigators is the alleged use of his eight-month-old baby as a carrier, with gold concealed inside the infant’s diaper.
The investigation has now uncovered another crucial link. Farooq’s second wife was arrested at Nedumbassery Airport just days earlier after she was allegedly caught carrying 1.78 kg of gold concealed in a napkin. According to the DRI, she told investigators that the gold had been hidden by her husband and that he had sent her with it.
The two incidents have led investigators to examine a disturbing possibility: Were Farooq’s marriages being used as part of a calculated strategy to smuggle gold?
Second wife arrested with 1.78 kg gold
The investigation intensified after Farooq’s second wife was intercepted at Nedumbassery Airport. DRI officials allegedly recovered around 1.78 kg of gold compound concealed in a napkin. During questioning, she reportedly told officials that her husband had concealed the gold and sent her away with it.
The arrest subsequently placed Farooq under surveillance. Investigators began monitoring his movements and financial transactions, eventually leading to his arrest at Karipur.
According to the investigation, Farooq arrived from Ras Al Khaimah with three children, including an eight-month-old infant. Acting on specific information, DRI officials searched him and allegedly recovered gold worth nearly Rs 1 crore.
But what shocked investigators was where a portion of the alleged contraband was found. Gold had been concealed inside the diaper worn by the eight-month-old baby. Another portion was allegedly concealed on Farooq’s body.
From wife to infant: investigators probe a family-run smuggling chain
The latest case has raised serious questions over whether Farooq was operating alone or whether members of his family were being systematically used to transport gold.
DRI officials are reportedly examining claims that Farooq has three other wives and 15 children in total. Investigators are now trying to establish whether his family members were knowingly or unknowingly drawn into a larger gold-smuggling operation.
The most serious question concerns the alleged use of marriage itself.
Investigators are examining whether multiple marriages were contracted or maintained with the intention of facilitating gold smuggling, allowing Farooq to use wives and children as seemingly less suspicious passengers while travelling from the Gulf to Keralam.
The DRI is also attempting to trace the source of the gold, identify the intended recipients and determine whether a larger organised syndicate was directing the operation.
Eight-month-old used as a gold carrier
The use of an infant has added an especially disturbing dimension to the case.
Officials said Customs authorities have previously detected attempts to conceal gold in children’s clothing, napkins and other materials. However, they said they had not encountered a case in Keralam in which gold was allegedly concealed in clothing worn by an infant and the baby was used as a carrier.
The seizure has forced authorities to reconsider how passengers travelling with infants are screened.
A senior Customs officer in Kochi said routine metal-detector screening cannot necessarily detect gold concealed in paste or compound form. Such cases require separate checking based on suspicion or intelligence. Authorities traditionally exercise greater caution while checking babies and small children to avoid causing distress or inconvenience to passengers.
‘The baby cannot be held responsible’
The infant, obviously, cannot be considered a knowing participant in the crime. According to Customs officials, the legal responsibility rests with the adult who allegedly used the child to transport the contraband.
The incident nevertheless presents authorities with a difficult balance. Intensifying checks on babies could inconvenience genuine passengers, while exempting children from scrutiny could create an opening for smugglers seeking to exploit the natural reluctance of security personnel to conduct detailed checks on infants.
Was the family part of a larger network?
The DRI is now investigating whether Farooq used his wives and children to move gold repeatedly between the Gulf and Keralam. Officials are also examining whether the gold seized from Farooq and his second wife was connected.
The preliminary assessment is that the pair may have been involved in smuggling gold worth around Rs 3 crore, though the precise amount, source and network behind the operation are still being investigated.
A senior DRI official said investigators would examine whether Farooq had used other members of his family for smuggling. The investigation will therefore focus not merely on the gold recovered from the airport, but on the entire structure allegedly operating behind the family.
The Karipur seizure has also exposed a potentially serious vulnerability in Keralam’s airport security system. Gold smugglers have repeatedly altered their methods, moving away from conventional concealment techniques and exploiting the limitations of routine screening.
