DRI seized gold worth Rs 8 crore : Mizoram men arrested

Photo Courtesy & source: Siliguri Times

SNS, 8 April 2023, Siliguri: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized gold worth more than Rs 8.50 crore and arrested two Mizoram residents in this connection. Acting on intelligence inputs, the DRI sleuths intercepted an SUV car bearing the registration number of Assam at Panikauri toll plaza, near Fatapukur, on National Highway 27 on 5 April and found three persons, including one woman, in the Mahindra Bolero. 

The three have been identified as Jayanta Deka, Mark Chingsianpaua and Lianngaihluni. "They were taken to the DRI office at College Para. The DRI searched Deka, a resident of Morigaon district in Assam, who was hired to drive the car for Kolkata, and Chingsianpaua along with their luggage in the presence of two independent witnesses, but no incriminating object was found. No personal search of Lianngaihluni was conducted. They kept denying that they were carrying contraband goods in their vehicle.

The officers and also two moto mechanics searched the vehicle thoroughly, but found nothing suspicious. They kept the vehicle for further examination," sources said.
DRI officers then took the car to a service centre at Salugara in Siliguri with the trio on Thursday.
"The under parts of the car were thoroughly examined by the mechanics and the DRI officers. A hairline crack was noticed on the inner portion of the left chassis frame of the vehicle. Scratching the portion further removed the outer layer of the chassis and a rectangular cut portion in the area was noticed on which a cover was placed and screwed. 

The screws were removed and the cover was unfastened, which revealed the hollow portion of the chassis. Thereafter, it was noticed that a long thin black cloth was kept inside the chassis.

The DRI officers t hen pulled out the black cloth from the hollow portion of the chassis frame and on bringing out it was seen that some objects were placed end to end inside the cloth which was stitched on one side and the other end was fastened with a knot. The knot was fastened in their presence and it was seen that cylindrical pieces of gold were placed in the cloth bag end to end. 

The DRI officers then brought out all 13 cylindrical pieces of gold," the officers said.
The yellow metal weighing 14281.500 gram has been valued at Rs 8,51,46,008. The gold pieces are believed to be of foreign origin. Preliminary investigations pointed out that these had been smuggled into the country through the unauthorized route of Myanmar.
"Chingsianpaua and Lianngaihluni were found to be involved actively in a gold smuggling racket. They were planning to go to Kolkata. Deka was not complicit in this case of smuggling of foreign gold and was only hired to drive the car. He has not been booked since his involvement was not found," the sources said. 

The duo was produced in the Siliguri court today. Tridip Saha, the lawyer representing DM, said the Siliguri court had Siliguri court had ordered a three-day judicial custody for them. 

MP | 7 Apr 2023 | Siliguri: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested two residents of Mizoram with illegal foreign gold. They are said to be a couple. About 13 small gold bars were recovered from their possession. 

The weight of the seized gold is 14 kg 281 grams. The arrested are identified as Mark Chingsianpaua (29 years) and Lianngaihluni (36 years). According to DRI sources, based on a tip-off the officials raided the Panikouri toll plaza of Fatapukur on Thursday night. 

They seized a four-wheeler. 

The two had brought the gold from Mizoram and were about to smuggle it to Kolkata via Assam. The estimated market value of recovered gold is more than Rs 8 crore. Apart from the gold, the DRI seized the vehicle and three mobile phones. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/dri-seized-gold-worth-rs-8-crore-514404