The DRI sleuths have seized more than seven kilogrammes of gold, valuing over Rs two crore, smuggled into India from Bangladesh, officials said today.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials intercepted a black Maruti Alto car near Basanti highway and E M bypass crossing at Pragati Maidan fire station, Dhapa, Kolkata, having three passengers, a statement by the DRI said.
They seized about 50 pieces of yellow-coloured metallic gold bars having foreign markings from the occupants of the vehicle. The bars weighed 7.4 kilogrammes and carried a value of Rs 2.04 crore, it said.
The seized gold pieces were admittedly smuggled into India from Bangladesh and were given to the accused for delivery at Kolkata, the statement said.
The accused, who hail from the Indo-Bangladesh border areas of Bashirhaat and 24 Parganas (North), were arrested on Saturday. All of them were produced before a local court that remanded them to judicial custody till September 21.
In the current financial year starting from April 1 to till date, in the region spread over West Bengal and the North eastern states, the DRI has seized over 150 kgs of gold valued at close to Rs 44 crore in the market, smuggled from Bangladesh, Myanmar and even Bhutan.
The DRI is closely monitoring the trends of smuggling of gold across the porous border region and making efforts to combat the menace by enhanced vigil and surveillance.
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