The Delhi Zonal Unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a gang that has, in the last two-and-half-years, smuggled 7,000 kg of gold worth over Rs.2,000 crore through Indo-Myanmar border.
The international racket, involving huge illegal outflow of unaccounted foreign currency, was being run allegedly by Guwahati-based Narendra Jain and his associate Sartaj from Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, along with their accomplices. The accused have been arrested and sent to judicial custody.
According to DRI investigations, the smuggled gold was being brought to Delhi using Jet Airways flights from Guwahati. In all, 617 such trips were undertaken by the the gang. Suspected involvement of the airlines’ employees is also being investigated, said the agency.
An airline spokesperson told The Hindu : "The said authorities had contacted Jet Airways to seek information on carriage of cargo from Guwahati to Delhi from certain Customers. The airline fully cooperated and provided all information sought by the authorities. Jet Airways complies with rules, regulations and laws of the land they operate in, including matters relating to carriage of all types of shipments.”
The DRI said the gold consignments were declared “valuable cargo” to evade detection. Unlike in international flights, where Customs unit keep a check on cargo, there is no such mechanism to verify the authenticity of claims by passengers in domestic flights.
The agency found that gold bars of foreign origin were being smuggled in huge quantities from Myanmar through Moreh in Manipur and Zokhawthar in Mizoram.
The latest case was detected when DRI officers seized 10 kg gold of 24 carat purity worth Rs.3.1 crore at the domestic cargo terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport in the intervening night of September 1 and 2. “The seized gold bars were brought to Delhi from Guwahati by a domestic flight,” said the agency.
“Investigations revealed that smuggled goods were brought by the gang to Delhi on 617 occasions by declaring it as valuable cargo in the domestic flights operated by a particular airlines, to avoid being detected by the Customs.”
The DRI said the Guwahati-based accused was involved in several cases of gold smuggling in the past. He was arrested in February last year for allegedly smuggling about 12 kg gold. He was later released on bail.
