The Delhi Zonal Unit of Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 83.6 kg of gold bars with 99.9 per cent purity of foreign origin at New Delhi railway station. These gold bars were being smuggled into the country from Myanmar through the international land border at Moreh in Manipur.
The market value of the recovered gold is close to ₹ 43 crore.
DRI had intercepted 8 passengers who had arrived at New Delhi railway station on Friday afternoon by Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and seized from their possession 504 smuggled gold bars of foreign origin collectively weighed 83.621 kgs.
According to the DRI source, the DRI have been acting on the basis of specific intelligence developed meticulously and painstakingly over months.
The gold bars were found to be concealed in specially tailored cloth vests worn by these passengers. The carriers of the smuggled gold were found to be travelling on fake identity (Aadhaar card).
DRI sources said that as per the intelligence inputs, the recovered gold bars carrying foreign markings, was being smuggled into India from Myanmar through the international land border via Moreh in Manipur and smuggling syndicate operating from Guwahati was attempting to dispose of the contraband in the cities of Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai which have thriving markets for the yellow metal and jewellery made therefrom.
As per DRI sources, the smuggling syndicate sourced and recruited poor and needy individuals from various parts of the country to act as carriers of smuggled gold by luring them with the prospect of quick and easy money.
The smugglers used air, land and rail routes to locally transport the smuggled gold. The aforesaid eight carriers have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962 and remanded to judicial custody.