In simultaneous operations in different cities in Tamil Nadu, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a gold smuggling syndicate and recovered nearly six kg of the precious metal.
DRI said that it has "busted" a "smuggling syndicate," recovering 5.9 kg of gold bars and jewellery smuggled in from Dubai and Singapore, and valued at Rs 1.80 crore.
Four persons have been arrested in connection with the smuggling, DRI said in a statement.
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Based on intelligence, special teams of DRI officers were deployed at airports in Chennai, Tiruchirappally and Madurai, besides on a National Highway, DRI said.
On Friday morning, officials intercepted a car at Chenglepet near here, and its occupants revealed that gold bars were concealed under the front seat of the vehicle.
They told the investigators that the gold was "smuggled through" Tiruchirapplly airport and that they had received them from "various gullible passengers" who had arrived from Singapore and Dubai, DRI said.
Further, when officials conducted a detailed search of the car, they found brand new cutting pliers, raising suspicion.
When the covers of the handles were removed, "eight specially moulded rods of gold were found sheathed in the two plastic grips of each of the cutting pliers," DRI said.
The officers also found some jewels neatly packed in packets.
As a follow-up action, searches were conducted at a house here and "crude gold bars/gold jewellery of foreign origin" were seized and two persons were apprehended in this connection, DRI said.
Further, DRI also seized another cutting plier with gold handle from a passenger who arrived from Dubai.
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