Guwahati, Dec. 12: Sleuths of the directorate of revenue intelligence have seized precious stones worth Rs 1.33 crore in the domestic market which were smuggled from Myanmar and bound for markets in Jaipur.

The haul has also confirmed fears that Guwahati is being regularly used a corridor for smuggling gems and other contraband.

The DRI, acting on a tip-off, seized the first consignment of both uncut and finished rubies and sapphires from Kamrup Express at Guwahati railway station on December 2. The contraband was worth Rs 2.62 lakh. Two days later, stones worth Rs 1.31 crore were seized from Paltan Bazar.

Sources in the DRI said though two persons have been arrested, the kingpin is still at large. They said the smugglers use Moreh in Manipur and several places in Upper Assam to sneak in the contraband into Guwahati. They are then routed to Jaipur via Calcutta.

“We were quite surprised at the huge haul of gems,” a source in the directorate said. He said vigil has been stepped up along the Indo-Myanmar border.

The DRI is an agency fighting economic crimes and collects intelligence on smuggling of contraband, narcotics, over and under-invoicing of goods throughout the country. The sleuths said the haul has proved that the smugglers are using Guwahati as a corridor. The DRI is also keeping tabs on a cartel known to use National Highway 39 as a smuggling route.

Myanmar has one of the world’s best reserves of precious stones, especially in the Kachin area and is known for its jade and ruby reserves.

Last month, customs authorities in Shillong had admitted that said smuggling of gems has gone up in the past couple of years. They had said the smuggling network is quite complicated, with underground outfits of both countries having a stake in it.