BELAGAVI: Officers of the the District Crime Investigation Bureau (DCIB) nabbed a three-member inter-state smuggling gang and recovered silver articles, a four-wheeler and cash, in total worth Rs 27.70 lakh on Sunday.
Superintendent of Police Ravikante Gowda told reporters on Monday that the arrested were Bhagawan Bhayaji Bhandagar (45), Subhash Dada Kolekar (30) and Vishnu Kedari Mali (53), all hailing from Sangli district in Maharashtra, but settled at Salem in Tamil Nadu. The recovered goods include 90 kg silver worth Rs 21.70 lakh, a four-wheeler worth Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh cash.
Gowda said the gang was nabbed while smuggling silver from Hupari village of Kolhapur district (Maharashtra) to Tamil Nadu via Belagavi. Acting on a tip-off, the DCIB team, led by Police Inspector N V Barmani, stopped the vehicle on Pune-Bengaluru National Highway-4 near MK Hubli. While checking the car, the policemen found the silver articles hidden in a box under the driver’s seat. Gowda said that further investigation is being conducted by police inspector Sanganagouda. Kittur police have registered a case.