DRI seizes 5 kg gold smuggled from Myanmar
By TIOL News Service
|
SILIGURI, SEPT 23, 2020: ACTING on intelligence that a sizable quantity of gold of foreign origin smuggled through the Indo-Myanmar border of Manipur, would be carried in a Hyundai i20 car through Siliguri to Kolkata, DRI Siliguri intercepted a Hyundai i20 car on 22.09.2020 at about 14.00 hours at Siliguri. The car had two occupants who were based in Khidirpur in Kolkata, West Bengal, though originally from Arra Bihar.
On interrogation, they stated that they were coming from Guwahati but denied carrying any contraband with them. However, on intense questioning, they ultimately confessed that smuggled gold of foreign origin was actually secreted in the car. Thereafter, 30 pieces of gold which were secreted ingeniously inside the space beneath the front cabin lamp affixed to the roof adjacent to the front windscreen of the car were recovered. Total weight was 4980.000 grams valued at Rs.2,65,92,702/-.
They admitted that the gold was smuggled from Myanmar through border in Manipur and carrying the same for delivery at Kolkata.
Both the accused persons have been arrested.
In the financial year 2019-20, DRI had seized about 300 kgs of gold in West Bengal and Sikkim , valued at more than Rs 115 Crores. In the current financial year, the seizure figure is around 65 kgs valued at about Rs 35 crores and this is despite several constraints faced because of the pandemic.
|