Mumbai: In a pan India operation the officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have busted a gold smuggling syndicate of Sudanese nationals allegedly operating through Nepal border.
In an operation code named Golden Dawn, the agency has arrested 7 Sudanese and 3 Indian nationals so far.
Operation Golden Dawn: DRI seize 101 kg smuggled gold from Pune, Mumbai & Patna worth Rs 51 Cr; 10 held | FPJ
Interceptions at Patna, Pune and Mumbai
The DRI, in different interceptions in Patna, Pune and Mumbai has seized a total of 101.7 kg of smuggled gold valued at Rs 51 crore. The seized gold, mostly in paste form, was being brought to Patna through the Indo-Nepal border and then transported via train or by air to different parts of the country, largely to Mumbai, agency officials claimed.
The DRI officials had intercepted three Sudanese nationals late on Sunday night boarding a train at the Patna Railway Station destined to Mumbai. "Gold paste containing gold weighing 37.126 kg in 40 packets was recovered from the two Sudanese who had ingeniously concealed it in a specially made cavity of the sleeveless jackets worn by them. The third person was the handler coordinating the smuggling activity at the border area and arranged the transport of smuggled gold," said a DRI official.
He added, "The second set of two Sudanese women were intercepted on Monday in Pune while travelling from Hyderabad to Mumbai via Bus and 5.615 kg of smuggled gold in assorted form was recovered from them concealed in their hand bags. The third set of two Sudanese nationals travelling to Mumbai from Patna were intercepted at Mumbai Railway Station on Monday. Gold paste containing gold weighing 38.76 kg in 40 packets was recovered from these two Sudanese."
Acting swiftly on the leads provided by the smugglers and carriers, the DRI officers recovered about 20.2 kg smuggled gold in assorted forms along with Rs 74 lakh worth foreign currency and Rs 63 lakh Indian currency from different premises in Mumbai being used for extraction and storage of smuggled gold. Three persons were apprehended in this follow up action.
