DRI seizes 4 Kgs Gold worth over Rs 1 crore at MIA and MRS

DRI Seizes 4 Kgs Gold worth over Rs 1 crore at MIA and Mangaluru Junction Railway Station

Mangaluru: In a major haul involving two separate incidents, DRI Mangalore seized about 4 Kgs of Gold valued at more than Rupees One crore at Mangalore International Airport and Mangaluru Junction Railway Station on 10 February 2018. In the first case, a couple hailing from Kasargod were arrested for trying to smuggle 2.13 Kg of Gold concealed in a specifically made abdominal Belt worn by them under their clothes whereas in another incident two passengers who had smuggled Gold from Nepal and were travelling in train towards Kozhikode, Kerala were nabbed with 16 Gold biscuits concealed in the inner pocket of their pants.

In the first case acting on credible intelligence that two International passengers by name Hassan and Sameera of Kasargod, Kerala arriving by Spicejet Flight No. SG-60 from Dubai to Mangalore at around 08.40 hrs on 10 February 2018 would attempt to smuggle gold into the country, the officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Regional Unit, Mangalore, mounted surveillance at the Mangalore International Airport. On arrival of the Aircraft from Dubai, the said passengers were identified and intercepted at the Customs Green Channel and were escorted to Customs Arrival area and subjected to thorough checking. During their body check, it was revealed that both were carrying skin coloured Belts tied to their waist. The belts were found to be concealed with some heavy object and on opening them it was found that certain brown coloured rubber-like compound was stuffed inside. The compound was examined by an expert Jeweller and subsequently, it was taken to a gold testing extraction centre and then under the supervision of DRI officers and independent witnesses, Gold extraction was carried out. At the end, Gold of 23.99 Carat purity weighing 2137.04 gms was extracted from the said compound. Their current market value was placed at around 66 lakhs. The contraband gold was later seized by the officers of DRI under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. Both the passengers who happened to be husband and wife were arrested and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangalore and were later released on conditional bail.

In another incident, based on a tip-off, two passengers travelling from Panvel to Kozhikode in Marusagar Express were caught hold of at Mangaluru Junction Railway station. During their personal examination, the officers found some heavy objects around the waistband of their trousers. On cutting open the inside stitch of the waistband 16 gold bars ( 8 gold bars each) were recovered.

Both the passengers Moideen and Samsudheen admitted that 16 gold bars recovered from their possession were of foreign origin and were smuggled by them during their International travel from Dubai to Kathmandu, Nepal, a couple of days back. During the interrogation, they further stated that after getting cleared from Kathmandu International Airport they crossed the land border at Birganj and entered India. Subsequently, they performed several cut journeys by road as well as train and on 10 February 2018, they both boarded Marusagar Express (No. 12978) at Panvel and were on their way to Kozhikode, Kerala when they were nabbed at Mangaluru Junction Railway Station. The DRI officers seized 16 gold bars of foreign origin totally weighing 1865.600 gms valued at Rs 56,33,880/- under Mahazar dated 10 February 2018. Both the passengers were arrested and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangalore on 11 February 2018.

Further investigations are in Progress in both cases.