In a series of meticulously executed operations spanning across Chennai and Trichy over the course of this week, the dedicated team of officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) successfully intercepted and confiscated a significant quantity of smuggled gold, totaling approximately 25 kilograms with an estimated value of Rs 15 Crores. These operations represent a remarkable display of the DRI’s unwavering commitment to combat illicit activities.
The first operation was triggered by specific intelligence gathered by the DRI officers, pointing towards a gold smuggling operation originating from Sri Lanka, utilizing the coastal route of Nagapattinam District to transport contraband to Chennai by car. Acting swiftly on this information, DRI personnel intercepted a Maruti Dzire vehicle in the vicinity of the Madras High Court on the evening of October 13th.
Inside the vehicle, they discovered two individuals engaged in the exchange of gold. Subsequently, the officers seized 11.794 kilograms of foreign-origin gold, as well as Rs 2,30,000 in Indian currency from the occupants of the car. Not stopping there, they also confiscated the car employed in the transportation of the illicit gold, as well as a two-wheeler used by the intended recipient of the gold. Both individuals were apprehended. In a follow-up operation conducted with exceptional swiftness at a gold melting shop, officers unearthed additional gold in various forms, weighing approximately 3.3 kilograms, along with Indian currency amounting to Rs 54,00,000.
A parallel operation in Trichy on October 9th, once again guided by precise intelligence, resulted in the interception of a car headed for Chennai, carrying two individuals involved in gold smuggling. DRI officers seized 7.55 kilograms of gold believed to have been smuggled from Sri Lanka through a coastal route. Both suspects were apprehended and subsequently remanded.
The relentless efforts of the DRI officers did not stop there. On October 11th, they conducted yet another operation at the Chennai International Airport. Acting on intelligence, they detained two passengers arriving from Malaysia. Upon searching the passengers, they discovered 3.46 kilograms of gold in paste form, expertly concealed within specially designed pouches hidden in their undergarments. Following the extraction of the concealed gold, 2.97 kilograms of the precious metal, valued at Rs 1.73 Crore, was recovered and seized. Both passengers were placed under arrest and remanded.
In total, within the span of just one week, the officers of DRI Chennai Zone have managed to successfully intercept approximately 25 kilograms of smuggled gold valued at Rs 15 Crores, uncovering various routes and methods employed by individuals involved in these illicit activities. These operations serve as a testament to the relentless dedication of DRI officers in safeguarding the nation’s economic and security interests.
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