The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested a female flight attendant of Jet Airways for allegedly trying to smuggle out USD 4,80,200 (approximately Rs 3.21 crore) wrapped in a foil out of the country.
According to an official statement, the 25-year-old Jet Airways air-hostess was stopped by the officials when she was on a flight to Hong Kong on January 8.
During the investigation, it was found that she had already carried 10 lakh dollars during her trips over the past two months and for each trip, she was paid Rs. one lakh.
According to reports, she was working for a hawala operator named Amit Malhotra who used crew members for money-laundering network.
“Malhotra would collect money from some bullion dealers in Delhi and send it via some air hostess to select foreign destinations. The money was being used for purchasing gold abroad. The gold would then be sent to India illegally,” an official said.
Malhotra has also been arrested.
