New Delhi: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday seized 83.6 kilograms of gold bars at New Delhi railway station. The gold bars of 99.9 per cent purity of foreign origin, were being smuggled into the country from Myanmar.
The smugglers used the international land border at Moreh in Manipur to sneak into the country, ETV Bharat has learnt.
According to sources, the market value of the gold recovered by Delhi zone of DRI is close to ₹ 43 crore.
"DRI has intercepted eight 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 weighing 83.621 kilograms," said a person familiar with the matter.
"All eight accused have been sent to jail today early this morning after the metropolitan magistrate granted their judicial custody," a source told ETV Bharat.
According to official sources, the directorate has been acting on the basis of specific intelligence developed over months.
The officials of Delhi Zonal Unit of DRI intercepted eight passengers as they arrived at New Delhi railway station from Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express on August 28, 2020.
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"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)," a source told ETV Bharat.
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.
Officials said the 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 8 carriers have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962 and remanded to judicial custody, said an official, adding that further investigation in the matter was going on.
