The Real Story Behind 'Costao': The Customs Officer Who Took Down Goa’s Biggest Smuggler

25 April 2025

Before Goa became a party paradise, it was a smuggler’s haven—until fearless customs officer Costao Fernandes risked everything to uphold the law.

A football lover, Costao joined Goa Customs in 1979. In 1991, he received a tip-off about a huge amount of gold being smuggled in via the desolate Fartade Beach.

Unarmed and alone, Costao decided to set up a secret night vigil at the beach. And ended up discovering the kingpins of the smuggling operation.

Confronting the smugglers, Costao ended up in a scuffle with Alvernaz Alemao, brother of a then-powerful local politician, who attacked him with a knife.

In self-defence, Costao — a black belt in Karate — struck back to save himself. Alemao died, and Costao was charged with murder.

But amidst the chaos and death threats, Costao built an airtight case against the smugglers, and the Alemao brothers were detained under COFEPOSA.

But justice for Costao took 23 long years. The Supreme Court finally gave him a clean chit. And in 1996, he was awarded the President’s Medal for bravery.

Decades later, Nawazuddin Siddiqui will step into the shoes of this fearless officer in Vipul Shah's 'Costao', a powerful story of grit, integrity, and the real cost of courage.

"We are paid to stop smuggling. I was just doing my job," says the humble hero who is now a fitness trainer and has represented India at the Masters Athletics Championships!