Smuggler escapes from Jaipur airport, airlines to face heat

JAIPUR: Customs department is likely to take legal action on a private airlines whose lackadaisical attitude helped a cigarette smuggler , who arrived from Dubai , escape from Jaipur airport on Sunday.


“Two accused were carrying these contraband in their luggage and one of the airline’s staff tried to take out the luggage in guise of being an unclaimed baggage.

The ground handler who tried to pass of this as an unclaimed baggage is also being questioned and it is yet to be ascertained if he did it knowingly or not,” a customs official said.

While customs apprehended one accused, the other managed to get out of the airport though officials confiscated his luggage.

Talking about taking the legal course of action against the private airlines, an official added, “At present, the investigation is still in its infancy and if required we will serve a notice to the airlines for their staff’s role in the matter. Further probe will decide the next course of action.” As the matter is still under investigation, officials could not divulge the identity of the detained person as well as the one who fled.

The two accused, both of whom are from Sikar , were carrying a total of 2,450 packets of cigarettes of different brands and the total value of the seizure was Rs 6,30,532.

“We are questioning the one accused who has been apprehended as well as the airline’s staff member and since we have the luggage of the other accused who absconded, we will trace him soon,” an official said.

According to the rule, a passenger is allowed to carry only 100 cigarettes after staying abroad for three days.