DRI apprehends Liberian national with cocaine worth Rs 35 crore
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has apprehended a Liberian national who arrived from Sierra Leone at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai on Friday.
In one of the biggest seizures of smuggled gold in the recent past, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 65.46 kilograms of gold at Mumbai, Patna, and Delhi, worth approximately Rs 33.40 crore in the international market.
According to an official of DRI, an input from the specific intelligence indicated that a syndicate is actively planning to smuggle foreign origin gold from Mizoram by using domestic courier consignment of supply chain and logistic company.
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In order to interdict the contraband, ‘Operation Gold Rush’ was launched by the DRI and a particular consignment declared to contain ‘personal goods’ destined to Mumbai was intercepted, added the official.
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He said that on the examination of the consignment at Bhiwandi, Maharashtra on September 19, led to recovery of 120 pieces of foreign origin gold biscuits weighing approximately 19.93 kg and valued at about Rs 10.18 crore.
Further investigation revealed that two other such consignments, sent by the same consignor from the same location to the same consignee, destined to Mumbai and in transit, were dispatched through the same logistics company, said the official.
The location of the second consignment was traced and intercepted in Bihar, which led to a recovery of 172 foreign origin gold bars weighing approximately 28.57 kg, worth about Rs 14.50 crore, he added.
According to him, the third consignment was intercepted and examined at Delhi hub of the logistics company, which led to the recovery of 102 pieces of foreign origin gold bars weighing approximately 16.96 kg and valued at about Rs 8.69 crore. Further investigation is in progress to ascertain more details about the syndicate.
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