23.34 kg smuggled foreign gold worth ₹14.43 cr seized in Chennai

CHENNAI: In two separate operations conducted this week, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 23.34 kg smuggled foreign gold valued at Rs. 14.43 crore through Chennai International Airport and foiled an attempt to smuggle foreign gold into the country.

In the operation was conducted on May 8, based on the intelligence the DRI officers, that a passenger, who arrived at Chennai international airport from Dubai through Colombo, was carrying huge quantities of foreign-origin smuggled gold and was on his way to his residence in Chennai.

Accordingly, he was intercepted while he was getting down from an auto rickshaw near his residence. Examination of the person led to the recovery of gold in paste form concealed in various knee caps worn by him and in specially made pouches in his pants. After extraction, 13.28 kg of gold totally valued at 8.28 crore was recovered and seized.

In another operation conducted on 11 May 2023, the DRI officers intercepted a Sri Lankan national arriving from Colombo at Chennai international Airport. On examination of the hand baggage of the passenger, gold in paste form was found concealed inside 8 chocolate packets. Melting of the paste resulted in the recovery of gold weighing 10.06 kg valued at Rs 6.15 crore.

Both the persons have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody, said a DRI press release.