Mangaluru: The officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mangaluru held Sirajuddin Pallikke Kunhali (39), a resident of Kasargod District, Kerala at the Mangaluru airport for possessing foreign currency worth Rs 25,82,686.

On Febraury 15, Sirajuddin was getting through check in and immigration formalities before boarding the Air India Express flight IX 813 destined for Dubai. Amid his own hunt, it was discovered that some foreign money notes were hidden inside his socks.

Accordingly, upon intensive examination of Sirajuddin’s stuff, the officers found that foreign currency notes were hidden even inside the empty tubular parts of the handles and some more cash notes were spread under the bogus base of the bag.

The combination of foreign currency notes containing US Dollars, Swiss Francs, Euros and Kuwaiti Dinars came up to a sum of 25,82,686 when converted to INR. The foreign currency notes were seized from Sirajuddin under the arrangements of the Customs Act, 1962 read with FEMA Rules and RBI rules issued in this regard.

Upon cross examination, Sirajuddin admitted to the offense and expressed that he indulged in this act to make easy money. He has been arrested and produced before the Principal Civil Judge (Senior Division) and Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangaluru.

The Directorate is confident of taking a step forward in regards to unauthorized currency dealers and hawala administrators over the span of their investigation.