RAMANATHAPURAM: Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) team, on Monday, caught four people from the Thangachimadam and Mandabam areas in Rameswaram and seized country boats over an alleged gold haul in the area.
According to sources, based on an intelligence report on possible smuggling of gold, the DRI team intensified patrol in the sea in Rameswaram, especially on the Thangachimadam shore. "The sleuths intercepted country boats at the Thangachimadam sea on Monday and detained four people. Their boats were taken to the customs department office at Mandapam. The four suspects were identified as S Devasagayam, S Daniel, J Kevin Raj, and I Sridhar of Thangachimadam and Mandapam areas were taken into custody for investigation," sources said.
Sources further said the DRI has seized around nine kg of gold from the boat. "It may be noted that over the past couple of months, the smuggling of gold from Sri Lanka has increased in the region. Earlier, the DRI and Coast Guard had seized 32.9 kg of gold, including 11.6 kg of gold discarded into the sea by the smugglers on May 30, one of the biggest hauls in recent times. A total of five smugglers have been arrested in this operation. A week later, in June, the customs department seized 2.5 kg of gold from a country boat after the smugglers abandoned the boat by jumping into the sea and fled the scene," sources added.