DRI seizes 33 kgs gold worth over Rs 17 crore from Siliguri being smuggled from Myanmar

KOLKATA: In one of the largest seizures, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday seized 33 kgs of gold, smuggled into India from Myanmar, worth over Rs 17 crore from West Bengal's Siliguri, according to an official statement.

Four people have been arrested by the DRI for their alleged involvement in smuggling of the yellow metal, it said.

Acting on inputs, the DRI officials intercepted a truck at Siliguri. The truck had four occupants who are based in Rajasthan.

On intense questioning, they ultimately confessed that smuggled gold of foreign origin was being carried in their luggage, the statement said.

"Thereafter, 202 pieces of gold which were inside the luggage of the occupants of the truck were recovered. Their total weight is 33.532 kg valued at Rs 17.51 crore," it said.

They admitted that the gold was smuggled from Myanmar through border in Manipur and that they were carrying it for delivery at Sri Ganganagar, it said.

All the four accused have been arrested, the statement said.

In the financial year 2019-20, DRI has seized about 300 kgs of gold in West Bengal and Sikkim, valued at more than Rs 115 crore.

In the current financial year, the seizure figure is around 98 kgs valued at about Rs 52 crore and this is despite several constraints faced due to the pandemic, the DRI said.