DRI Seizes Smuggled Gold Worth ₹1.35 Crore in Siliguri; Accused Arrested

KalimNews, Siliguri, 13 November 2024 : In a significant operation, the Siliguri unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized gold worth ₹1.35 crore on Monday from the outskirts of Jalpaiguri. The gold, which had been smuggled into India from Bangladesh, was intercepted as part of a crackdown on illegal cross-border trade.

According to DRI sources, the gold was intended for delivery to Calcutta and other locations within India. The arrest was made after DRI officials apprehended Tapas Saha, a resident of Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district, as he was traveling through Paharpur, near Jalpaiguri.

Upon conducting a search, the DRI team discovered three rectangular gold bars concealed in specially-made pockets of Saha's trousers. The total weight of the gold was 1.746 kilograms, with a market value estimated at ₹1.35 crore.

"We confirmed with a local goldsmith that the bars are 24-carat gold, and their total value is ₹1.35 crore," a DRI official said.

During preliminary questioning, Saha allegedly admitted that the gold had been smuggled through the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar and was en route to be distributed in Calcutta and other locations. The authorities also confirmed that the operation was carried out based on a tip-off about the smuggling network.

On Tuesday, Saha was produced before a local court. Charges were filed against him under the Customs Act for illegal possession and smuggling of gold. The court remanded him in judicial custody until November 26.

The DRI's swift action has once again highlighted the ongoing efforts to curb smuggling and illegal trade along India's porous borders, particularly with Bangladesh, where gold and other contraband are often smuggled into the country.

This seizure adds to a growing list of operations aimed at dismantling smuggling syndicates in the region. The DRI continues to monitor illegal activities along the Indo-Bangladesh border, targeting networks involved in smuggling gold, narcotics, and other contraband into India.