DRI seizes 504 smuggled gold bars worth Rs 42 crore from New Delhi Railway Station; 8 arrested

New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday (August 28, 2020) arrested 8 people with 504 smuggled gold bars worth 42 crores from the national capital.

"Acting on the basis of specific intelligence, very meticulously and painstakingly developed over months, the sleuths of Delhi Zonal Unit of DRI intercepted 8 passengers who had arrived at New Delhi railway station on 28.8.2020 by Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and seized from their possession 504 smuggled gold bars of foreign origin," read the official statement.

The gold bars were found to be concealed in specially tailored cloth vests worn by the passengers and the carriers of the smuggled gold were reportedly travelling on a fake Aadhar card id. 

The intelligence inputs indicated that the recovered gold bars carrying foreign markings, had been smuggled into India from Myanmar through the international land border at Moreh in Manipur and the smuggling syndicate operating from Guwahati, was attempting to dispose of the contraband in the cities of Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai which notably have thriving markets for the yellow metal and jewellery made therefrom. 

"The smuggling syndicate sourced and recruited poor and needy individuals from various parts of the country, to act as carriers of smuggled gold, by luring them with the prospect of quick and easy money," said the official statement. 

It added, "The smugglers used air, land and rail routes to locally transport the smuggled gold. The seized gold bars are of 99.9 per cent purity and collectively weigh 83.621 kgs. The market value of the recovered contraband is close to 43 crore."

The 8 carriers have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962 and remanded to judicial custody while the further investigation is in progress.