How a YouTuber Established a Base at Chennai Airport to Aid Gold Smugglers

Mohammed Sabir Ali, owner of Airhub at Chennai airport, allegedly operated as a front for a Sri Lankan gold smuggling syndicate.

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He was unable to afford the Rs 70 lakh deposit for the lease, which was funded by a syndicate member based in Abu Dhabi.

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Customs investigations revealed that Airhub facilitated the smuggling of 267 kg of gold worth Rs 167 crore over two months.

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Vidvedaa PRG, the authorized concessionaire, terminated their agreement with Airhub upon discovering the smuggling activities.

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Ali and his employees were recruited and trained by the syndicate to smuggle gold from transit passengers.

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Despite lacking retail experience, Ali was approached through his YouTube channel (shoppingboyz) by the syndicate to front their operations.

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The syndicate provided initial funding and strategic guidance for Ali to establish Airhub, which opened around February.

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Customs authorities are investigating how Airhub employees obtained identity cards from BCAS, violating airport regulations.

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