Vijayawada: Customs officials seize gold worth Rs 5.8 cr

Vijayawada(NTR District): The customs officials have seized 10.77 kgs gold worth Rs 5.80 crore on Vijayawada-Chennai national highway.

The officials of Commissioner of Customs, Vijayawada, on Sunday said that the officials on information kept surveillance on Bollapalli Toll Plaza on Vijayawada-Chennai national highway on June 24 and intercepted three cars and searched the vehicles. They found out smuggled gold bars weighing 10.77 kgs concealed in a specially built box fixed behind passenger seat and also in a specially built cavity under the passenger seats of the cars. They seized the three cars and arrested the accused under the provisions of Customs Act 1962. The accused were sent for remand to Judicial Custody by Court of Special Judge to try economic offences, Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

In another seizure near Rajamahendravaram, the officials seized 24 silver bars, each bar weighing one kg with foreign marking. On specific information, the officials noticed silver bars being smuggled and seized them. In the two cases, five persons were arrested and sent to judicial remand on Sunday.

It is the highest-ever seizure of gold reported by the Customs Commissionerate (Preventive), Vijayawada since its formation in 2014, said the press release on Sunday.