The recent gold seizures in the Northeast by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) indicates an escalation in gold smuggling through NE borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Nearly, 11 cases of gold seizures worth of 121 kgs during September 2022, indicates that the NE corridor is still extensively being used by smugglers; thereby deploying ingenious ways of concealment.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, and in three coordinated interceptions at Patna, Delhi and Mumbai, the sleuths of DRI confiscated 65.46 kg of foreign-origin gold worth of Rs 33.40 crores.
According to PIB report, the gold was consigned from Aizwal to Mumbai in domestic courier consignment. It was concealed in gunny bags declared as ‘clothes’.
In yet another case of smuggling through the same route, the DRI seized another big haul of smuggled foreign-origin gold weighing approximately 23.23 kgs and valued approximately of Rs.11.65 crores, which was being smuggled from Myanmar.
However, specific intelligence inputs pointed-out that substantial quantity of foreign origin gold will be attempted to be smuggled from Champhai-Aizawl of Mizoram to Kolkata in West Bengal by carrying/concealing them in vehicle.
In order to interdict the contraband, a coordinated action was launched from September 28–29, 2022.
The DRI officials mounted surveillance on the highway connecting Siliguri-Guwahati. During the checking, 4 passengers travelling through 2 suspect vehicles were identified and intercepted.
Following thorough rummaging of the two vehicles over a period of 2 days, the security forces have seized gold worth of 23.23 kgs, which were concealed along the vehicle body in the form of 21 cylindrical pieces.
“The gold in this case was cast in order to fit in the specifically made cavity inside the cross-member metal pipe connecting the right and left rails of chassis behind the rear wheels and suspension in both the vehicles,” – the official communique further reads.
The recovered gold had been smuggled into India from Myanmar through Zokhawthar border in Mizoram. Four persons have been arrested in the instant case so far.
In yet another seizure during the month, the DRI has recovered and confiscated 27 kgs of smuggled gold from various carriers, arriving from northeastern regions of the nation and been transported to the rest of the country.
These series of detections have helped unearth novel modus operandi of smuggling foreign origin gold into India from the North-Eastern part of the country.
Meanwhile, further investigation into the matter is underway.
