Gold bars bearing foreign inscriptions which were seized by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers during an operation conducted on July 7.
Siliguri, July 8 (MExN): Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers during an operation conducted on June 7 seized 10 gold bars bearing foreign inscriptions and weighing 1 kg each worth Rs 3.18 crores from two persons travelling in a Maruti Suzuki Wagon R vehicle near Fulbari, Siliguri on July 7.
The gold bars were being taken from Bhutan to Muzaffarpur, Bihar, a release from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ministry of Finance, Government of India stated.
An interrogation of the two intercepted persons revealed that the gold bars were smuggled from Bhutan to India through Jaigaon-Phuentsholling border. They were handed over by some Bhutanese nationals to the accused persons at a hotel situated in Phuentsholling, Bhutan, the release further revealed.
Both the apprehended persons have been arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
On June 1, DRI in the same region seized 32 kg of gold near Siliguri which was being smuggled from China through the Nathula border.
According to the release, in the previous financial year 2017-2018, DRI seized close to 430 kg of gold and gold jewelry in the East and North-East region collectively valued at more than Rs 110 crores. In the current financial year, starting from April 1 till date, in the region spread over West Bengal and the North eastern states, the DRI has seized over 152 kg of gold and gold jewelry valued at close to Rs. 50 crores in the market, smuggled from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and even from China, it said.
The DRI has asked to support the fight against cross border crime, smuggling and trade based money laundering by giving information to DRI. The names of informer are not only kept confidential, but there is also a reward scheme, which is Income Tax free, the release added. For details of the reward scheme log on to
http://dri.nic.in/main/reward
