The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday smashed a major network with the seizure of 55.61 kg gold worth ₹28 crore, smuggled through the Myanmar border, from eight persons in Delhi and Lucknow. All the alleged couriers have been arrested.
Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur visited the office of the DRI’s Delhi zonal unit to congratulate the officials on the successful operation “Golden Triangle”.
In view of recent spurt in the smuggling via Myanmar, largely attributed to the suspension of international flights owing to the pandemic, the agency has been keeping a close watch on the routes being taken by the criminal syndicates and their couriers.
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The DRI has made several major seizures in the past six months. In November, its Guwahati unit seized 51.33 kg gold. Two more seizures — 84 kg and 66 kg — were made in August and November.
The agency said due to its sustained counter-smuggling measures, the syndicates have shifted their modus operandi of hiding the gold in transport vehicles to in-person concealment. In the latest operation, carried out jointly by the DRI’s Delhi and Lucknow units, the agency found that the carriers had concealed gold bars in the belts worn around their waists.
Five such couriers were intercepted by the Delhi unit and the others by the Lucknow unit. Searches led to the seizure of 335 gold bars.
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