DRI continues cracks on Gold Smuggling
66Kg of Rs21crore smuggled gold seized
In a major operation launched by Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence, (DRI), Ministry of Finance against an organized smuggling
syndicate, 66 kg of smuggled gold valued at about to Rs 21 crore has been
seized on 06thand 07th December, 2018. The seizure has been made at Lucknow,
Kolkata and two premises in Siliguri.
In this DRI operation, four persons have also been arrested and
four cars used in smuggling have been seized. Specific information was received by DRI that a smuggling
syndicate is actively engaged in smuggling of huge quantity of foreign origin
gold from Bhutan into India through Indo-Bhutan border in West Bengal and
sending it to different parts of India.
On 06th December, 2018, one car along with two occupants was
intercepted by DRI officers after a high-speed chase near Lucknow. Search of
the intercepted car resulted in recovery and seizure of 33 bars of 1 kg each,
weighing 33 kgs of foreign gold valued at Rs. 10.56 crores concealed under a
specially made cavity near the driver seat. Out of two occupants of the said
intercepted car, one was the main controller of the syndicate.
In another related operation launched by DRI officers in early
hours of 07th December, 2018, one car along with two occupants was intercepted
near Kolkata and from their possession another 33 pcs of gold of foreign origin
weighing 33 kg valued at Rs.10.46 crore were seized. The smuggled gold was
concealed in a specially built box fixed behind the dash board and also in a
specially built cavity near gearbox of the car.
In a swift follow-up action at Siliguri, Rs.3.5 lakh in cash
which are suspected to be the proceeds of smuggling and two more cars were
seized under the provisions of the Customs Act. All the cars were found to have
specially built cavities, indicating their usage for carrying smuggled gold in
the past as well.
In the Current Financial Year 2018-19, Large Number of Cases of
Gold Smuggling has been registered /booked. During the period April to November
2018, Indian Customs has already seized about 2.63 Tons of gold. During the
Financial Year 2017-18 (April to March), Indian Customs had seized 3.22 Tons
gold which was 103% higher than in 2016-17.
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