SURAT: In one of the biggest seizures in recent times, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized 48.2 kg of gold paste estimated to worth Rs 25 crore at Gujarat's Surat international airport from three passengers travelling from Sharjah and an official, a DRI release said. The DRI said it has busted a smuggling syndicate by arresting the four persons.


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"Based on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted three passengers arriving from Sharjah by Air India Express Flight No. IX172 at Surat International Airport on July 7 suspected to be carrying gold in paste form to be smuggled into India," the DRI said in a release on Sunday. The DRI found 43.5 kg of gold in paste form concealed in 20 white colour packets hidden in five black belts in their baggage.


The gold was concealed for smuggling into India with the help of officials posted at the Surat international airport, it said. The exchange of gold was planned to be done in a toilet located before the immigration checkpoint to evade screening and examination by authorities, the DRI said.


"Subsequent actions resulted in the further recovery of 4.67 kg of gold in paste form, found abandoned in the men's washroom adjacent to the immigration checkpoint, which was handed over by the CISF to DRI," it said.


A total of 48.20 kg gold paste recovered from the passengers was subjected to extraction, and more than 42 kg of gold (purity 99 per cent) worth Rs 25.26 crore approximately was recovered, the DRI said.


The statements of the three passengers were recorded under the Customs Act, 1962 and the trio and an official have been arrested, it said without giving more details of the four persons. It seems an organised smuggling racket has been operating at the Surat international airport, the DRI said.