A Pune-based travel agent and her accomplice were arrested recently for smuggling foreign currency worth Rs.3.47 crore. They tried moving the money through three students, who had no clue about the conspiracy.

Customs officers at Pune airport seized $4,00,100 from the students, who were used by travel agent Khushboo Agarwal to carry out the crime. The students left India on a seven-day trip to Dubai sponsored by Agarwal. They were not aware of the plot. On the day of boarding the flight, Agarwal gave two suitcases to them saying they contained documents that had to be handed over to a person in Dubai who would come to pick them up at the airport. The students agreed to do so in return for her favour.

The customs department sensed something amiss and alerted the airport officials in Dubai. The students were prevented from exiting the airport on arrival in Dubai. They were put on another flight and sent back to India. Customs officials in India checked the luggage to find notebooks and books in the suitcases. Inside the pages were the dollars in $100 denomination. When questioned, the students revealed Agarwal’s plan and what they were asked to do.

The air intelligence unit of Pune airport arrested Agarwal, and Mumbai-based Mohammed Aamir, who supplied the currency to her. A search team raided Aamir’s office and confiscated currency notes of various countries worth Rs.45 lakh.

Intensive searches in Pune, Mumbai and Ahmedabad pointed to Agarwal and Aamir as the key perpetrators. The duo was sent to judicial custody and then lodged in Yerawada Central Jail, Pune.

Further investigations are on. – Image by freepik – editor@nrifocus.com