--- On Sat, 4/30/11, Zaras Kitchen <zaraskitchen@googlemail.com> wrote:
From: Zaras Kitchen zaraskitchen@googlemail.com
| Foreigners short-changed for Dollars by gangs outside Sahar International airport; say they have cops' blessings
Time: Between midnight and 4 am when most international flights arrive
Place: Outside the airport's Sahar terminal
As foreign visitors just enter into the city, they are cheated of foreign currency and threatened of arrest if s/he protests.
Around 17 people owing allegiance to two gangs are actively involved in changing currency in their cars. | | | The con men waiting outside the airport lure foreign visitors of a good exchange rate for US dollars and those who fall into the trap are escorted to a waiting tourist car. |
On a tip-off, MiD DAY spent a night at the International Airport to get a first-hand feel of the con job. Here's what we found out:
More for your $
As a foreigner streams out, members of a gang get into action. One of them sidles up to the unsuspecting foreigner and asks if s/he needs hotel accommodation just to break the ice.
Some sport an illegal card identifying them as members of an unauthorised tourist service.
Many are attired in blazers and strut around with a walkie-talkie in hand. They also speak fluent English.
The foreigner is then given the lure of a "good" exchange rate for US dollars and those who fall into the trap are escorted by the conman to a waiting 'tourist' car.
I'll call the cops
Once the foreigner gets into the car, the person asks for dollars. The local currency given to the foreigner is just half the amount promised. (For $100 taken, the foreigner only gets the worth of $50 in Indian Rupees).
Any protests are greeted with a threat to hand over the foreigner to the police. The reason cited is that currency exchange with them is illegal.
To keep the Central Industrial Security Force personnel deployed at the airport at bay, the gang members stand outside the airport with a placard, which bears a fictitious passenger's name.
Cops involved?
One of the two gangs operates under the name 'Shinu'.
On noticing the MiD DAY team, the gang members approached this reporter. "Altaf and gang are doing business in connivance with the police," a member of the Shinu gang said.
"Their mediator is one Ayub who is closely associated with a senior police officer posted at the airport region. That's the reason they manage to keep police interference at bay."
Altaf, a member of the other gang, said, "We operate on a small-time basis and we are not involved in foreign currency exchange. For the last 15 years, we have been bribing officials at Sahar police station to do this."
| The Other Side | | Deputy Commissioner of Police Satya Narayan Chaudary said, "After taking over charge, I have deployed plainclothes officers to keep vigil on any illegal activities. We will take necessary action against those involved in money exchange and swindling passengers." | | Gangs and their cars | | Gang members active at the international airport and numbers of 'tourist' cars:
Anil Patel 2
Samad 1
Jaffar 2
Abdul 2
Altaf 1
Mubin 1
Siddhart Shirodkar 3 | |
PASS IT ON |
|
Email Marketing by Events Updates:
For queries & advertising email to: events.updates6@gmail.com
To advertise call or SMS cell # 0334-3056757
ReplyDeleteHi there, awesome site. I thought the topics you posted on were very interesting. I tried to add your RSS to my feed reader and it a few. take a look at it, hopefully
I can add you and follow.
Talk PRO Walkie Talkie in Lucknow