Security forces in Manipur held two women and seized smuggled gold bars worth around Rs 54 lakhs on Tuesday.

According to reports, the gold bars were being smuggled from across the Myanmar border into Manipur.

The arrested women are reportedly notorious international smugglers. Officials informed that they were held in the Tengnoupal district of Manipur along the Myanmar border.

The smuggling bid was foiled by personnel of 20 Assam Rifles deployed at Khudengthabi in Tengnoupal.

Following their arrest, the smugglers were handed over to the Customs and Preventive Force for further action in connection with the incident.

An official was quoted as saying, “On receipt of intelligence inputs about the smuggling of six numbers of gold bars weighing nearly 1 kg, assessed to be worth Rs 54.11 lakhs in the international market, a van coming from Moreh towards Imphal was intercepted and checked. The force has taken up all necessary steps to prosecute the accused.”

Moreover, along with the gold bars, security forces also seized two mobile handsets and some incriminating documents from the possession of the smugglers.