Customs Investigation Uncovers Rs 70 Lakh Funding for Airport Shop Lease
CHENNAI – Mohammed Sabir Ali, the proprietor of Airhub, a retail shop at Chennai International Airport, is under investigation for allegedly being part of a Sri Lankan gold smuggling syndicate. According to customs officials, Ali received Rs 70 lakh from a syndicate member in Abu Dhabi to secure the lease for the shop, as he lacked the necessary funds himself.
Ali and seven of his employees have been arrested by customs authorities, who discovered that the shop facilitated the smuggling of 267 kg of gold, valued at Rs 167 crore, over two months. The shop, located in the airport’s departure lounge, was contracted through Vidvedaa PRG, the authorized concessionaire for retail spaces at Chennai airport. Following the exposure of the smuggling racket, Vidvedaa PRG terminated its agreement with Airhub.
The investigation revealed that Ali, aged 29 and a Chennai resident, was approached by the syndicate via his YouTube channel, ‘shoppingboyz.’ The syndicate proposed he open a retail shop after noticing Vidvedaa PRG’s advertisements. Despite having no retail experience, Ali was able to pay the deposit using funds provided by the syndicate through intermediaries.
The shop, which sells toys, souvenirs, and bags, opened in February this year. Ali recruited his employees on a contract basis via an online job portal. Customs authorities reported that Ali and his team earned approximately Rs 3 crore in commissions over the last two months.
The customs department is also investigating how Ali’s eight employees obtained identity cards from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), despite being contract workers not officially listed by the airport concessionaire. This breach of airport regulations is a significant focus of the ongoing inquiry.
The director of Chennai airport has not responded to requests for comments on this matter.
