Three held with gold worth Rs 3 crore

TT, 20 August 2019, Siliguri: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested three persons after around 10kg gold was seized from them near Phansidewa in Siliguri early on Monday morning.

Sources said the arrested trio identified as Zomuankima, H.Rualsangpuja and Lalneihlaia -- all residents of Aizwal in Mizoram -- had planned to smuggle the gold bars to Calcutta.

"Acting on a tip-off, the DRI team intercepted the suspected smugglers, who were travelling in an SUV, at Goaltuli More in Phansidewa (located around 20km from here). Later, the gold bars were seized from the seat covers of the vehicle when it was searched," said Tridip Saha, the lawyer representing the DRI.

"There were gold bars 60 gold bars -- each weighing 160 grams -- were stored in four packets. The total quantity of the seized gold is 9.96 kilos. The estimated price of the metal is around Rs 3.87 crore," a source said.

According to DRI sources, the gold was brought into Mizoram through the IndiaMyanmar border.

The trio have been booked under the Customs Act, said Saha. "They were produced at the additional judicial magistrate's court on Monday and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days," he added..