Gold worth Rs 3cr seized .... Four held in heart of Siliguri; second haul in a week

The gold bars seized in Siliguri.

TT, 13 July 20-18, Siliguri: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized smuggled gold, this time from heart of Siliguri, on Wednesday. This was the second successive haul of the precious metal by the central agency within a week.

The team acted on a tip-off and impounded gold bars weighing 10.5kg from four persons, who are residents of Mizoram and had come here with the consignment on Thursday. They were staying at a hotel near Siliguri Junction station.

Those arrested have been identified as Jason Lalthlamuaua, Laldavida and Lalpekkima- residents of Aizwal and C. Lalduha of Champai district- all in Mizoram. The valuation of the seized gold is Rs 3.32 crore, DRI sources said.

"The DRI team conducted raid at the hotel where the quartet was staying. During the raid, the gold bars, which were hidden in waist belts and shoes, were seized. They had painted their vests and belts in yellow so that the bars could not be seen from outside," said Arunprasad Majumdar, the lawyer representing the DRI.