DRI busts smuggling racket, seizes 44 kg of gold

Delhi Zonal Unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had been tracking a person indulged in smuggling of huge quantity of gold and selling it in grey market.

The Delhi Zonal Unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a massive gold smuggling racket in the national capital.

On Saturday morning, the Officers of Delhi Zonal Unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted a truck coming from Mundra Port, Gujarat in Chander Vihar area of Delhi and recovered 44 kg of foreign marked gold of .995 purity concealed in the metallic case of the poultry egg incubator.

Searches were also conducted at residential premises as well as factory of the accused which led to recovery of several incriminating evidences, proof of previous smuggling and huge amount of hawala transaction to Dubai.

Through this modus operandi, in year 2017 alone, the person has smuggled around 300 kg of foreign mark gold bars worth of ₹ 90 crore from Dubai. Quantum of smuggling in the previous years is yet to be ascertained.

Since the market price of gold fluctuates on a daily basis, smugglers normally prefer the air route to smuggle gold to India. However, in the seventies and eighties, smuggler used to smuggle gold through sea route by bringing gold in country boats (Arab Dhows) or in containerised cargo and landing in coastal areas. After many years, DRI has busted this modus operandi of smuggling of gold in containers.

Delhi Zonal Unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had been tracking a person indulged in smuggling of huge quantity of gold and selling it in grey market. The suspected person has a manufacturing business of poultry appliances for a long period and in recent past he has imported poultry equipments from Dubai too.

Officers collected evidence related to his movement and business activities for some times. A unique modus operandi came to the knowledge of officers which were further analysed. It was gathered that one poultry egg incubator was being imported in every consignment along with few disassembled poultry egg brooder panel. Each time around 40-50 kg foreign marked gold bars were being concealed in the metallic case (used as packing material) which were subsequently retrieved by the said smuggler using cutter and drill machine at one of his secret residential flat to immediately sell it in grey market.

Gold bars were being wrapped in a thick silver grey paper smeared in adhesive to prevent metallic sound during movement. The concealment was almost impossible to be detected during routine examination of cargo by customs officials at gateway port.

The truck driver, importer and his associates have been summoned by officers of DRI for interrogation and further investigation.