The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized nearly 20 kilograms of gold, smuggled into India from neighbouring Myanmar, worth Rs 6.73 crore, according to an official statement issued Wednesday.

A specific information was received by the DRI that a syndicate is actively engaged in smuggling of huge quantity of foreign-origin gold from Myanmar into India through Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur and sending it to West Bengal.

"Accordingly, the DRI sleuths laid out an elaborate plan and in a skillfully executed operation successfully identified the carrier. The officers then intercepted the carrier as he was about to hand over the gold to the receiver on Tuesday," the statement said.

Search of the persons and a residential flat in Howrah resulted in recovery and seizure of 120 biscuits of foreign-origin gold, totally weighing 19.92 kgs valued at Rs 6.73 crore well-concealed in sandals, bags and mattresses, it said.

With this seizure, in the current financial year, in the region spread over West Bengal and the Northeastern states, the DRI has seized about 415 kgs of gold and gold jewellery valued close to Rs 130 crore.

The seized gold are believed to be smuggled from India's land borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and China.

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