The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted an organised gold smuggling and illegal melting racket operating in Delhi and Calcutta, and arrested six
persons besides seizing cash, gold and silver valued at over ₹14.13 crore.
The organised syndicate was involved in smuggling foreign-origin gold into India, its transportation by rail, melting and defacing at illegal facilities, and clandestine sale in the domestic market, the DRI said on Sunday.
“In total, 8286.81 grams of gold valued at ₹13.41 crore, 7350.4 grams of silver valued at ₹19.67 lakh, and Indian currency amounting to ₹51,74,100 were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962,” it said.
Acting on specific intelligence, officers of the DRI intercepted a passenger, who had arrived from Calcutta by train, at New Delhi railway station with foreign-marked gold meant for delivery to a receiver outside the station. Both the carrier and the recipient were apprehended.
Based on the disclosures, follow-up searches were conducted in Delhi, which led to the detection of an illegal gold melting facility in Delhi used for defacing foreign-origin gold before its disposal in the local bullion market.
“Additional gold, silver and Indian currency were recovered from the premises, and the manager operating the facility was also apprehended,” the DRI said.
Further investigation led to Calcutta, where the mastermind of the syndicate was traced to another illegal melting unit along with more defaced gold. He was apprehended along with two carriers, who admitted that foreign-marked gold smuggled into India had been received by them, melted to remove identifying markings, and would have been transported to Delhi through the rail route for further distribution, the DRI said.
