Expat missing case: Shafi sends video message; Abductors demand share from smuggled gold worth Rs 80 cr

Shafi said that he and his brother smuggled 325 kilograms of gold from Saudi Arabia.  

Kozhikode: The Parappanpoyil native Muhammad Shafi, an NRI businessman, who was abducted by a group of men on April 7 has revealed in a video message on Thursday that he and his brother smuggled 325 kilograms of gold from Saudi Arabia.

"I was abducted for a share of the Rs 80 crore," he said. Shafi also requested authorities to rescue him. However, he did not mention the name of the abductors in the video.

Shafi, an expatriate, was viciously assaulted by the criminals who came in their car, threatened him with weapons, and thrashed him. The police investigation was expanded to other districts after checking the locations of the mobile towers and the CCTV recordings, but Shafi could not be located.

The rural SP and his team stayed in Thamarassery until 4 am on the kidnapping day, while calling members of the quotation gangs to the station for questioning. The police learned from this that the groups involved in the smuggling of gold are connected. They disclosed that Shafi was associated with such groups in Saudi Arabia and was likely the motivation behind the kidnapping.

According to police, Shafi was abducted by gold smuggling gangs in Karnataka. The car found in Kasaragod, believed to have been used by the gang, will be brought to Thamarassery today. The vehicle was seized from a car showroom in Cherkala, Kasaragod.