BENGALURU: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers have arrested seven people on charges of smuggling and seized around 9.3kg of gold worth over Rs 4 crore.
The gold was smuggled from Dubai and other Middle East countries into Kerala and was being sold in Mangaluru and some districts of North Karnataka with forged foreign marking, said official sources.
Based on credible information, the DRI on March 11 intercepted two people - Syed Mohammed and Ashoka KS at the Mangaluru Central Railway Station - and recovered 5.6 kg in gold bars in crude form from their possession.
“There was specific information about a network of operatives who were bringing smuggled gold in the form of crude bars from Kozhikode to Mangaluru. The gold was remelted and cast into 100gm bars with forged foreign markings,”said the officer.“The contraband gold was being sold at various locations in Karnataka,” he added.
On interrogation of the two, the DRI arrested a third person named Manjunath Shet alias Rupesh from the parking lot of the railway station. “He was supposed to receive the smuggled gold from the passengers,” the officer added. Following his arrest, searches were conducted in three different locations in Mangaluru, Udupi, and Shivamogga.
“Further investigation revealed that the gold came from some melters and jewellers in Kozhikode. Swift action led to seizure of gold and Rs 82 lakh in cash. The smugglers’ syndicate had used two SUVs which had customised compartments for concealing the gold consignment while it was being transported between Kozhikode and Mangaluru. The directorate has seized the vehicles,” the officer added.
In all, the DRI has arrested seven people in the smuggling case, and has seized 9.3kg gold worth around Rs four crore, 5.2 kg of silver along with Rs 84 lakh in cash.