DRI seizes gold worth Rs 7 crore smuggled into India from Myanmar, six accused held

New Delhi: Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seized gold worth Rs 7 crore, smuggled into India from Myanmar, in separate operations in three states, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

Six people have also been arrested during the operations carried out by the DRI officials on Tuesday, it said.

"All the seized foreign-origin gold bars had been smuggled into India from Myanmar and were being carried to Delhi by passengers travelling in buses via Guwahati, Siliguri and Patna," the statement issued by the DRI's Delhi zonal unit said.

The gold bars were found to have been concealed in specially made cavities in the handles of stroller bags carried by the passengers and also hidden inside the underwear/waist belts worn by them, it said.

"Amid COVID, the carriers of the smuggled gold are using bus route with premise that due to COVID, there would be fewer checks en route," the DRI said.

Giving details of the cases, the probe agency said two persons were intercepted at Jewar toll plaza near Delhi who were coming by bus from Guwahati via Siliguri and Patna.

The officials recovered around 4.98 kg of smuggled gold bars from them, the statement said.

Two other passengers were intercepted by the officials at Siliguri (West Bengal) bus station when they were boarding a bus bound for Patna and seized from their possession 30 smuggled foreign-origin gold bars, collectively weighing 4.98 kg, it said.

In Bihar's Muzaffarpur, two persons, who had arrived in Patna by bus from Guwahati (via Siliguri), were intercepted by the officials.

A total of 24 gold bars, weighing 3.98 kg, were seized from them, the DRI said.

"In this well-coordinated operation, approximately 14 kg of smuggled gold bars were seized which have a market value of around Rs 7 crore," it said.

Officials said all the six accused, who are native of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, have been arrested in the case.