Gold-smuggling: Kerala police unearth plot to kill officer

Kozhikode (Kerala): Some of the key accused in a case of gold-smuggling through the Karipur International Airport here allegedly plotted to kill a police officer, said the Kerala police on Sunday.

The officer is a member of a special squad of the State police probing into the case.

The plot was revealed during the forensic analysis of a mobile phone of Riyaz, a member of the gold-smuggling syndicate.

Riyaz was arrested on July 30.

Talking to PTI, a senior police official said some of the accused had threatened to kill the officer of the rank of sub-inspector for playing a role in the arrest of the members of the syndicate.

A voice chat, suggesting to kill him in a staged road accident, was sent to Riyaz’s phone by another accused who is at large, the senior official said.

Themembers of the syndicate, operating from North Malabar region, allegedly threatened to eliminate the targeted officer’s children, he said.

Recently, the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate arrested Arjun Ayanki of Kannur, who is an alleged kingpin in the case.