KOLKATA: In one of the biggest operations in eastern and northeast India, some 32 kilograms of gold worth Rs 10.32 crore being smuggled from China was nabbed in Siliguri in northern West Bengal on Thursday.
Three persons associated with the smuggling were arrested.
Acting on a tip-off, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence sleuths traced a car on Sevoke Road in Siliguri and found 32 bricks of gold each weighing 1 kg strapped to their waists in tailored belts. All the three accused Akhoy Magar,
Dhaniji Saheb Babbar and Pravin are residents of Maharashtra.
Additionally, the DFI sleuths accompanied the accused to their temporary hideout in the city from where Rs 20.19 lakh in cash was recovered.
Interrogation revealed that the gold were smuggled from China and were destined for Kolkata. The accused were given the responsibility of transporting the gold from Indo-Tibet border first to Gangtok and then to Kolkata.