Customs officer caught with Rs 75 lakh at KIA

A customs officer carrying nearly Rs 75 lakh was caught at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Tuesday, officials said.

Central Industrial Security Force (CIF) officials caught Mohammed Irfan Ahmed, superintendent of customs in Chennai, who arrived in Bengaluru to fly to Lucknow with his wife. Sources said Ahmed, who was going to Lucknow via Bengaluru, was caught while going through security check at 9.30 am to board the Indigo flight 6E625 scheduled to depart at 10.20 am.

The officers said Ahmed carried Rs 74,81,500 in his handbag. The CISF staff found the large amount of cash while doing a regular screening on Ahmed, following which they detained him.

A senior officer of the Bengaluru police confirmed the incident and said: “The CISF has neither filed any complaint with us or produced Ahmed before us. We have learned that they have handed him over to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) along with the money. They will have to investigate the source of the money.”

Ahmed had the cash in Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes. Officials detained him since no passenger is allowed to carry large amounts of cash without permission.

Ahmed’s wife was also found carrying gold jewellery and two expensive phones, including an iPhone.