DRI stated that both attempts were meticulously planned, with one involving the concealment of gold in an iron box to evade detection
DRI foils two smuggling bids, seizes Rs 3.36 crore worth gold at Hyderabad airport
The DRI seized the gold from the passengers who had returned from Kuwait at Hyderabad airport; three people have been arrested
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said it had foiled two major gold smuggling bids and seized 3.38 kg of foreign-origin gold worth Rs 3.36 crore on September 18.
The DRI seized the gold from the passengers who had returned from Kuwait at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. DRI sleuths arrested three people linked to the incident.
According to DRI, both attempts were meticulously planned, one of which involved concealing gold in an iron box to evade detection. Based on specific intelligence developed by the DRI-Hyderabad Zone Unit (HZU), earlier, on August 22, surveillance had been mounted at the airport.
Officers identified two suspicious pieces of baggage that were believed to contain concealed precious metal. No passengers came forward to collect the baggage. CCTV camera footage later confirmed that the bags were deliberately abandoned by the passengers.
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Gold seizure
An examination of one bag revealed 1,261.800 grams of smuggled gold, valued at Rs 1.25 crore, which was seized. The passenger, who abandoned the baggage, was traced to Annamayya district, Andhra Pradesh.
On September 16, a DRI team trapped and intercepted him when he travelled to Hyderabad. In his statement, he disclosed the identity of the handler who allegedly given him the baggage in Kuwait and instructed him to abandon it, the DRI said.
Investigation confirmed that the handler too returned to India and was headed to Hyderabad from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh. He was apprehended on September 17.
Both individuals admitted to their involvement in smuggling gold.
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Second baggage
A detailed examination of the second baggage revealed that 2,117.800 grams of gold valued at Rs 2.11 crore was concealed inside an iron box to evade detection.
The passenger involved was traced to YSR Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh and was intercepted by DRI officers on September 17. The accused also confessed to his role in the smuggling of gold.
According to the DRI, it seized a total of 3,379.600 grams of gold, worth Rs 3.36 crore. All three accused were arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and remanded to judicial custody.