DRI seizes 32 kgs gold worth Rs 10.32 crore smuggled from China

The gold bars were smuggled from China into India.

Acting on an specific intelligence, the officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have effected a seizure of 32 kg of foreign origin gold valued at Rs 10.32 crore, smuggled from China into India through the Indo-China Border in the State of Sikkim.

The DRI received a tip off that a huge quantity of Gold of foreign origin that has been smuggled into India from China through Indo-China Border in the State of Sikkim.

The gold was to find its way to Kolkata via Siliguri and then be carried by three persons who would be travelling by a hired vehicle from Gangtok to Siliguri and would there after go to Kolkata by train for the ultimate delivery of the same.

A top official of DRI said that, the officers of DRI led strict surveillance over the area on Sevoke Road, Siliguri, Near Payal Cinema Hall where they intercepted a white colour Maruti Wagon R on Thursday.

On preliminary enquiry, it was found that the Wagon R vehicle was taken on hire by three passengers.

All these three passengers are natives of Maharashtra and they had hired the vehicle for their journey from Siliguri to Gangtok and back.

On preliminary enquiry, the three intercepted persons admitted the fact that they were carrying in their persons gold bars of foreign origin that had been smuggled into India from China through Indo-China Border in the State of Sikkim.

All the three persons were taken to DRI office at Siliguri where, on search, three specially tailored cloth belts having several pockets and secured by metal Zip fasteners were found to be fastened around their waist.

On opening of the said belts, a total of 32 pieces of primary gold bars bearing foreign inscription were recovered.

Each of the gold bars was found to weigh 1 kg, bringing the total haul to 32 kg.

On further enquiry it was revealed that the intercepted persons have temporary residence at Siliguri which too was searched by the DRI officers on Friday early morning from where Indian Currencies worth Rs 20,19,850 were recovered which the intercepted persons identified as being a part of sale proceed of smuggled gold.

The total seizure value has arrived at Rs 10,52,91,750.

This is one of the biggest Gold seizure by DRI in the recent past in East and North-East India.

In the current financial year, starting from April 1 this year till date, in the region spread over West Bengal and the North eastern states, the DRI has seized over 137 kg of Gold and Gold Jewellery valued at close to Rs 24 crore in the market, smuggled from Bangladesh, Myanmar ,Bhutan and even from China.

In the previous financial year (2017-2018), the DRI has seized close to 430 kg of Gold and Gold Jewelry in the East and North East region collectively valued at more than  Rs 100 crore.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)