By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 24: More than a kilogram of gold of foreign origin was seized by the Customs department on early Saturday, allegedly smuggled through the Indo-Bangla border.
Based on inputs, a Mahindra XUV500 was intercepted which was carrying the gold and was en route to Guwahati at Jhalupara.
The car had one occupant who hailed from Rangia, Assam, though originally from West Bengal.
On being interrogated, he confessed that smuggled gold of foreign origin was in his possession. Thereafter, 14 pieces of gold, which were packed in two plastic pouches, were recovered. Total weight of the gold was 1632.450 grams valued at Rs 1.01 crore.
Specific details of a middleman who had handed him seven pieces were gathered and on a swift follow-up action, the officers of CCP intercepted the said person at Jhalupara. He further revealed that he had collected the gold from a lady at a shop at Iewduh, Shillong.
A further operation at the said shop resulted in recovery of Rs. 9.5 Lakh which is admitted to be sale proceeds of smuggled gold, which was also seized. The lady was also interrogated, and it was revealed that the gold was smuggled from the Indo-Bangladesh border. Three persons have been arrested and further investigation is in progress.
It may be mentioned that in another case in the last one month, the officers of Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Shillong seized five gold biscuits weighing 582.70 gram, recovered from a person travelling in a Maruti 800 which was intercepted near Jorabat. This gold was smuggled from the Indo-Bangla border at Bholaganj.
Immediate follow up at a house in Lumparing from which the gold was collected resulted in recovery of Indian currency amounting to Rs 3.96 crore, believed to be sale proceeds of smuggled gold, which was also seized.
Further investigation is in progress.