DRI seized 20.5 kgs of Smuggled Gold worth Rs.12.5 crores

In three separate raids, the Chennai DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) seized around 20.5 kgs of gold, totaling approximately Rs12.5 crore.

Acting on specific intelligence that foreign origin gold is being smuggled from Sri Lanka through Thangachimadam, Ramnad’s northern coast, in a fishing boat, and the smuggled gold will be transported for further delivery, DRI officers kept strict vigil and apprehended four people near Thangachimadam. Foreign-origin smuggled gold weighing roughly 9.063 KGs and valued at around Rs.5.37 crores was found from their possession during an inspection.

On July 31, 2023, it was confiscated, along with two boats used to smuggle gold from Sri Lanka. Four people have been detained for further investigation.

On the same day, 31.07.2023, another team of DRI officials rummaged through an aeroplane arriving from Sharjah at Coimbatore International Airport and intercepted a few people on the trip. The search of the aeroplane and the inspection of passengers resulted in the discovery of 5.17 kgs of foreign origin gold worth Rs.3.17 crores. Two passengers were detained and put in judicial custody in this respect.

In the third operation, a team of DRI personnel stopped six people outside Chennai International Airport who were carrying 6.275KGs of gold paste worth almost Rs. 3.8 crores that had been smuggled through the airport. So far, six people have been caught in this respect, and an investigation is underway.

In its ongoing endeavour to combat gold smuggling, DRI Chennai has confiscated around 163KGs of gold worth Rs97 crores in 29 incidents, and 43 people have been detained in various areas of Tamilnadu since January 2023.