MLA P V Anvar with an African businessman (R) in Sierra Leone
KOZHIKODE: Nilambur LDF candidate and incumbent MLA P V Anvar ended the mystery surrounding his nearly three-month-long visit to Sierra Leone by revealing that he has been engaged in the work of setting up a proposed Rs 20,000-crore gold and diamond mining business in the African country.
Interestingly, the LDF independent candidate is flying down to his constituency on Thursday holding forth the prospect of providing jobs to around 6,000 people from Kerala in the mining project which could trigger interest among the electorate in the poll season.
Anvar, in a Facebook video, said he got associated with the project after a chance meeting with an African businessman during his Umrah pilgrimage in 2018. He added that the businessman owns around 50,000 acres of land in Sierra Leone which had gold and diamond deposits as revealed from satellite surveys.
Picture used for representational purpose only
KOZHIKODE: Air Customs Intelligence officials seized 2.8 kg of gold compound worth Rs 1.4 crore in six smuggling bids through the airport on Friday and Saturday.
In the first seizure, gold in the form of screws of trolley bags totally weighing 72.5 gram was seized from Mannarkad native who arrived from Dubai on Friday afternoon.
On the same day, six gold pieces totally weighing 300g were seized from a Kasaragod native who came to collect the mishandled baggage kept in the warehouse.
Customs made four gold seizures on Saturday in which gold in the form of compound weighing 911g was seized from a Malappuram native who arrived on flight IX 1346 from Dubai.