Officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 9.72 kg of smuggled gold from a couple near Tiruchi a few days ago and arrested them. The value of the seized gold was put at ₹5.89 crore.
Acting on specific intelligence that gold smuggled from Sri Lanka through the Thondi coastal area in Ramanathapuram district was being transported to Chennai by a husband and wife duo in a government bus, officers of the DRI intercepted the bus near Kalpalayam on August 23 and questioned the couple.
The couple admitted that they were carrying smuggled gold for onward delivery to Chennai. In a swift follow up operation, the DRI team also apprehended the person who handed over the gold to the couple. Three premises were immediately searched which were linked to the person who handed over the gold to the couple. Cash amounting to ₹6 lakh and other electronic evidence were seized. All three admitted that they were involved in smuggling gold. They were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, a DRI press release said.