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Meghalaya: Customs seize gold worth over ₹1 crore smuggled from Bangladesh
The sleuths, responding swiftly to credible intel that a sizable quantity of gold of foreign origin smuggled through the Indo-Bangladesh border of Meghalaya would be transported in a vehicle to Guwahati, intercepted a Mahindra XUV500 SUV on September 23, at Jhalupara, Shillong
The sleuths of the Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) (CCP) in Meghalaya’s Shillong on Friday intercepted a vehicle and recovered 14 gold biscuits, valued at over Rs.1 crore, officials familiar with the matter said.
According to the officials, the Customs sleuths, responding swiftly to credible intel that a sizable quantity of gold of foreign origin smuggled through the Indo-Bangladesh border of Meghalaya would be transported in a vehicle to Guwahati, intercepted a Mahindra XUV500 SUV on September 23, at Jhalupara, Shillong.
The vehicle had one occupant, a resident of Rangia in Assam, though originally from West Bengal.
“On interrogation, he confessed that smuggled gold of foreign origin was in his possession. Thereafter, 14 pieces of gold, which were packed in two plastic pouches were recovered. Total weight was 1632.450 grams valued at Rs.1,01,78,326/-,” read a communique issued by CCP, Shillong.
Specific details of a middleman who had handed him one gold biscuit were gathered and on a swift follow-up action, the officers of CCP intercepted the said person at Jhalupara, officials said.
The accused further revealed that he had collected the gold from a lady at a shop in Bara Bazar, Shillong. A further operation at the said shop resulted in the recovery of Rs.9.5 lakh in cash which is admitted to be sale proceeds of smuggled gold, which was also seized, the officials added.
“The lady was also interrogated, and it was revealed that the gold was smuggled from the Indo-Bangladesh border. Three persons have been arrested, and further investigation is in progress,” added the statement from the CCP.
Furthermore, the communique from CCP informed that in another case last month, the sleuths of CCP Shillong seized five gold biscuits weighing 582.70 grams recovered from a person travelling in a Maruti 800 car which was intercepted near Jorabat.
“This gold was smuggled from the Indo-Bangladesh border at Bholaganj. Immediate follow-up at a house in Lumparing from which the gold was collected resulted in the recovery of Indian currency amounting to Rs. 3.96 Crore, believed to be sale proceeds of smuggled gold, which was also seized,” revealed the CCP, adding that investigation is underway.
