In a major operation conducted by the Government Railway Police Force (GRPF), a large consignment of gold was seized at the Guwahati Railway Station on Sunday.
Officials informed that the raids were conducted based on specific inputs of gold being smuggled.
The total seizure included gold bars weighing around 300 grams, estimated to be worth over Rs 16 lakhs.
Meanwhile, a suspect was arrested on charges of smuggling the gold, officials said. An investigation in this regard has been initiated.
The accused in the matter has been taken in for questioning.
Further details are awaited.
It may be noted that earlier this month, in three coordinated interceptions at Patna, Delhi and Mumbai, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 65.46 kg of foreign-origin gold worth Rs 33.40 crore.
The gold was consigned from Aizwal to Mumbai in domestic courier consignment. It was concealed in gunny bags declared as clothes.
In yet another case of smuggling through the same route, the DRI seized another big haul of smuggled foreign origin gold weighing approximately 23.23 kg and valued at around Rs. 11.65 crores being smuggled from Myanmar.
Specific intelligence indicated that substantial quantity of foreign origin gold will be attempted to be smuggled from Champhai-Aizawl, Mizoram to Kolkata and West Bengal by concealing them in vehicle.
The DRI officers mounted surveillance on the highway connecting Siliguri - Guwahati. Four passengers travelling in 2 suspect vehicles were identified and intercepted. After thorough rummaging of the two vehicles over a period of 2 days, 23.23 Kg gold concealed in the vehicle body in the form of 21 cylindrical pieces, was recovered.
The gold in this case was cast in order to fit in the specifically made cavity inside the cross-member metal pipe connecting the right and left rails of chassis behind the rear wheels and suspension in both the vehicles. The recovered gold had been smuggled into India from Myanmar through Zokhawthar border in Mizoram. Four persons have been arrested in the instant case so far.
