By Express News Service CHENNAI: As in a scene out of a Kollywood flick, a few Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials were attacked by a mob numbering over 50 in an alleged bid to help 18 smugglers escape from the city airport, on Wednesday. Two air customs officials are under scanner for their possible connections with the smuggling racket. Sleuths on Thursday raided the house of a tax assistant, who recently resigned from the air customs department, in connection with the case. The incident happened minutes after DRI officials seized over 12 kg of gold from a total of 18 passengers arriving from Dubai, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. The total worth of seized gold, according to the officials, is over `5 crore. “Even as the officials were taking away the suspects, and were about to board their vehicle parked outside the arrival hall, a mob of over 50 people gathered,” said a DRI statement. They allegedly hurled abuses at the officials, attacked them, and helped the 18 suspects flee from the spot. Two DRI officers are said to have been injured in the incident. After a while, the suspects returned for unknown reaons to the arrival hall exit. They followed the officers to the S-2 police station, and were told to assemble at the DRI office on Thursday. Of the 18 suspects, 13 turned up on Thursday at the office. Officials are inquiring the gold smuggling case. “As a follow-up action, the residential premises of tax assistant, who had earlier resigned from customs department, was searched at Kolathur as it is believed that he indulged in coordinating the smuggling of gold,” the statement said. Seven arrested Meanwhile, Air Intelligence Unit sleuths of the Customs department foiled bids to smuggle 5.30 kg gold worth `2.28 crore and arrested seven persons, in separate incidents.

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