New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) Continuing its drive against smuggling networks, the DRI carried out a series of operations during the week and arrested 20 accused, including five foreigners, seizing foreign-origin gold, heroin, MDMA and other contraband, an official said on Saturday.
The seized articles included hydroponic weed, red sanders, prohibited wildlife products, e-cigarettes, foreign-origin poppy seeds and areca nuts, said the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a statement, adding that around 9.5 kg of gold valued at around Rs 14 crore was seized and nine accused were arrested.
The arrest of 20 accused, including five foreign nationals, involved in smuggling and trafficking activities and exposed sophisticated concealment techniques employed by organised criminal syndicates, said the statement.
Sharing details of gold seizures, the DRI said that on July 29, two foreign nationals who had arrived from Dubai were arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, leading to the seizure of 40 foreign-origin gold bars weighing 4 kg from cavities in their baggage.
In separate operations conducted jointly by DRI and Border Security Force personnel along the Indo-Bangladesh border, officers seized around 3.2 kg of foreign-origin gold, said the DRI.
The gold was recovered from a person near the border fence at Tungi, another person at Hili border gate, and in a third case from a person on a motorcycle intercepted near Nityanandakati, Hakimpur. Three persons, including a woman, were arrested in connection with the seizures.
In addition to the above cases, DRI officers also seized around 2.2 kg of gold in three different operations conducted at Varanasi, Delhi Airport, and Tamil Nadu, and arrested four persons.
On the narcotics front, the DRI, with assistance from Assam Rifles and Manipur Police, intercepted a vehicle near Churachandpur in Manipur and recovered around 2.7 kg of heroin concealed inside 220 soap cases. Two persons were arrested.
In two other operations in Mumbai, DRI officers intercepted two foreign female nationals travelling from Delhi and recovered synthetic narcotic drugs concealed in specially fabricated cavities in their respective baggage.
The operations resulted in the collective seizure of around 2 kg of amphetamine crystals and MDMA tablets. Both passengers were arrested under the NDPS Act, 1985, the DRI said.
In a significant case involving prohibited wildlife imports, DRI officers uncovered an attempt to import around 14 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin Guggul resin valued at Rs 1.4 crore through misdeclaration of description and country of origin.
The consignment had been falsely declared as natural resin originating from Somalia and routed through Dubai, said the statement.
–IANS
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