Indore: The directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) has seized 5 kg of smuggled gold destined for Bhopal from a SUV coming from Mumbai on Indore bypass near Mangliya on Sunday, and arrested three persons. The gold is worth Rs 2 crore.
The Indore zonal unit of DRI had received specific intelligence that three persons would be carrying huge quantity of smuggled gold from Mumbai to Bhopal in a SUV (Ertiga), and they would be travelling via Indore.
"Accordingly, surveillance was mounted for the suspected vehicle and after identification it was secretly followed by DRI officers for a long distance in the middle of the night of 3rd and 4th July. The suspected vehicle was finally intercepted near Mangliya on Indore-Bhopal bypass highway, by officers of DRI Indore zonal unit and Bhopal regional unit’ DRI said in a statement.
On searching the vehicle, eight gold bars having a total weight of 5 kgs were recovered from a specially built secret cavity in the SUV. All 3 occupants of the vehicle confessed their crime of bringing smuggled gold from Mumbai. They also revealed that they had paid Rs 2.2 cr. in cash to the supplier in Mumbai at the time of taking delivery of this smuggled gold . Follow-up operations in Bhopal and Mumbai are underway to nab the suppliers of the smuggled gold.
The smuggled gold and vehicle use for concealment and transport have been seized under Customs Act, 1962 and all 3 persons have been arrested under the provisions of Customs Act 1962. Further investigation is on.
During this calender year, DRI officers of MP and Chhatisgarh have seized 36.98 kgs of smuggled gold worth Rs. 17.94 cr., under Customs Act and arrested 14 persons.
