RAMANATHAPURAM
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized about 7.5 kg of gold of foreign origin after intercepting a car near Madurai and arrested seven persons.
Acting on a tip-off that gold biscuits were being smuggled from Sri Lanka and the contraband could land at Vedhala coast near Rameswaram, the DRI sleuths from Madurai kept a close vigil and seized the contraband after intercepting the car on the outskirts of Madurai.
Officials said the accused, suspected to be acting as couriers, included one from Pudupet in Chennai, one from KK Nagar in Madurai and a couple of others from Vedhalai. They received the contraband, valued at about ₹2.45 crore, in the early hours of Sunday. The accused admitted to the DRI officials that the gold was smuggled from Sri Lanka and they were transporting it to Madurai.
This is the DRI’s major seizure of gold smuggled into the coasts of the district from Sri Lanka via the sea route this year. It seized 11.15 kg of gold smuggled into Mandapam–Vedhalai coast from Sri Lanka in August 2018 after intercepting a bus in Madurai and arrested three persons. The DRI seized 9.29 kg of gold biscuits smuggled into Thondi from Sri Lanka after detaining two persons in November, 2017.
