Two held at Mumbai Airport with gold concealed in undergarments
Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Jan, 2023 11:04 AM
Mumbai, Jan 17 (IANS) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday said that they arrested two persons at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here and seized 8.230 kgs of gold in paste form valued at Rs 4.54 crore.
The DRI said that they got specific intelligence input that gold in paste form is being smuggled into India by a syndicate of passengers who are traveling from Dubai to Mumbai on January 17.
"Surveillance was mounted by DRI officers at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The suspected passengers were identified and intercepted by the team at the airport. A thorough examination of the passengers led to recovery of 8.230 kgs of gold in paste form. The value of the gold is about Rs 4.54 crore," an official said.
The DRI said that most of the recovered gold was concealed in undergarments of the passengers making it extremely difficult to detect. This is a unique modus operandi busted by the DRI, indicating the uphill task faced by its officers on a regular basis to check the syndicates smuggling gold in various forms into the country.
"Two persons have been arrested in the above case. Further investigation in the instant case is under progress to unravel the complete chain of persons involved in the illegal inflow of gold into the country," the official added.
Asserting that the SAD stood with the beleaguered peasantry, he announced the party would oppose collection of penalties imposed on the farmers, besides launching a sustained campaign in case the red entries in land records were not revoked.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Manpreet Singh and Bhupinder Singh -- both from Faridkot; and Baljit Singh of Muktsar Sahib. The DGP said the police had established the identity of two of the main shooters -- Manpreet and Bhupinder -- on the first day of the crime and a manhunt was launched in this regard.
Police said that they have arrested nine people, including an Assam Rifles Head Constable, of the gang. Meanwhile, a manhunt has been initiated to nab other accused which also includes a Delhi-based lawyer.
Keeping in view the declining cases of Covid-19 in the country, the government on Wednesday removed mandatory requirement to wear masks in flights. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that the decision has been taken following a review meeting on the issue with the Ministry of Health.
A police spokesperson said the case properties of drug cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, in Amritsar and Fazilka were destroyed on Tuesday.
Addressing a gathering during at a state-level function to mark the martyrdom day of the Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha at his native village here, the Chief Minister said bestowing the Bharat Ratna award to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, Shaheed Rajguru, Shaheed Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai and others will enhance the prestige of this award.
