DRI seizes 32kg of gold smuggled from China
02 Jun 2018
Acting on specific intelligence, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seized 32kg of gold valued at Rs10.32 crore, smuggled from China into India through the Indo-China Border in Sikkim.
The DRI had been tipped off about a huge quantity of gold of foreign origin that had been smuggled into Sikkim through the Indo-China border.
The contraband gold was headed for Kolkata via Siliguri and was being carried by three people travelling by road from Gangtok to Siliguri.
The informant also said they would be heading for Kolkata by train for ultimate delivery.
DRI officers kept a strict surveillance over the area and intercepted a white Maruti Wagon R on 31 May.
Enquiries revealed that the Wagon R vehicle had been hired by the trio, who hailed from Maharashtra.
Under sustained interrogation, the three admitted they were carrying gold bars that had been smuggled into India from China through the Indo-China border into Sikkim.
The three were wearing specially tailored cloth with several pockets fastened around their waist. 32 pieces of primary gold bars with foreign inscription were recovered. Each of the gold bars weighed one kg.
The total value of the gold seized has been estimated at Rs10,52,91,750.
On further enquiry it revealed that the intercepted have a temporary residence, from where Rs20,19,850 in Indian currency was recovered.
This is one of the biggest gold seizures by DRI in the recent past in east and north-east India. In the current financial year, the DRI seized over 137 kg of gold and gold jewellery valued at almost Rs24 crore, smuggled from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and China.
In 2017-2018, the DRI had seized close to 430 kg of gold and gold jewelry in the east and northeast region, valued at over Rs100 crore.