Mumbai: In a major crackdown amid the Maharashtra assembly election season, Mumbai Police, along with a special surveillance team, seized approximately 6.5 tonnes of silver bricks from a van travelling northbound on the Eastern Express Highway near the Godrej Ghoda Gate Signal. As per market value, the total worth of the silver bricks could be over Rs. 65 crores.
According to preliminary information from Vikhroli Police, the incident was reported by the Flying Squad Team (FST) and the State Surveillance Team (SST) assigned to election duty, who were conducting inspections and nakabandis (road checks) in the Vikhroli area. During the check, they spotted a van with two occupants, including the driver. Upon inspecting the van, the team discovered 6.5 tonnes of silver bricks, which were seized as per standard operating procedure and brought to the Vikhroli Police Station premises for further inspection.
“During the panchnama, the driver and the other man claimed they were transporting the silver bricks, as usual, from Byculla to a warehouse of a company named Raja Industrial Estate in Mulund West. They stated that they regularly handle such transportation. However, as per SOP, we informed Income Tax department officials for further examination,” said a police officer from Vikhroli Police Station.
The owner of the warehouse has been summoned by the election duty officers and will be required to provide documents verifying the legitimacy of the silver bricks' transportation. While the total value of the silver bricks has not yet been disclosed by Income Tax officials, it is suspected to be worth several crores, according to the police.
Throughout Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday, the SST conducted a preliminary examination, after which the matter was handed over to Income Tax department officials, according to the police.
