The Excise department seized ₹27 lakh in hawala money during an inspection at the Aryankavu check post on Wednesday.
The money was seized from Mohammad Akram, a 27-year-old Tamil Nadu resident, who was travelling on a KSRTC bus from Thenkasi to Thiruvananthapuram. The money was kept in bundles of 500 and during interrogation, 5.5 grams of gold was also recovered from him. Mohammad Akram has been handed over to Thenmala police along with the money and gold for further investigation. He was nabbed by a team led by Excise Inspector Gireesh and Deputy Excise Commissioner B. Suresh said that vehicle checks would be strengthened in border areas.
During Onam, another Excise team had seized ₹30.5 lakh without documents from a milk van.
