Mumbai: Alert hotel staff bust Kenyan Airways crew member carrying 23 kg gold

Gold bars recovered

Vigilance on part of three employees of Hotel Grand Hyatt in Santacruz East yesterday helped to bust a Kenya Airways crew member, who was found to be illegally carrying nearly 23 kg of gold. The Sahar police received a call from the hotel around 8 am yesterday over suspicion of contraband material inside the bag of a crew member of Kenya Airways who had checked in. Based on the input received, officers reached the hotel and arrested Abdulla Ali, 29, who had arrived from Nairobi on flight KQ-210. They also arrested a Kenyan identified as Ali Hussain Ibrahim, 26, who had come to the hotel to take the gold from him.

The police recovered 128 gold bars weighing nearly 15 kg and 28 crude gold bars weighing 7.8 kg, concealed in four nylon kneecaps and a belt with 26 pockets. The total value of the precious metal recovered is estimated at Rs 6.37 crore. Ali, who has admitted in his statement of knowledge, possession, carriage and recovery of the said gold bars, has been handed over to the customs department for further investigation.

The Sahar police and zone DCP felicitated hotel employees Vivek Hanumant Vayadande, Manjit Singh Gurudeep Singh Manga and Vipul Arun Mangale for their tip-off. Speaking on the matter, Yasmin D Poonegar, director of Corporate Communications, South West Asia, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, said, "As the matter is under investigation, Hyatt cannot add any further comment."

128 Number of gold bars found on accused

28 Number of crude gold bars recovered

Rs 6.37cr Value of the gold seized

Recently, a couple flying from Mumbai to Bengaluru loses pet at T2's baggage make-up area after animal breaks free from cage; three days on, search still underway.

In January, officials of Chhatrapathi Shivaji International Airport's customs department arrested three passengers (one in the first case and two in the second) for trying to carry cut pieces of a 1,000 gm gold bar and 49,500 euros respectively, by hiding them in their rectums.

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