Siliguri, 03rd April: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials, in a massive operation, arrested a gold smuggler and seized more than 03 kg of gold biscuits worth over Rs 01 crore from his possession in Siliguri.
The officials received input regarding a huge amount of gold that was being smuggled from Malda to Siliguri. Acting on the tip-off, a team of DRI launched a campaign on the Asian Highway-2 near North Bengal University on Saturday late evening. They intercepted a bus coming from Malda to Siliguri, in which the suspect, identified as Amit Shaw of Howrah district, was travelling. The officials started questioning Shaw after getting him off the bus. On having some doubts, the team took Shaw into custody and brought him to their office for further interrogation.
After questioning him and a thorough search, 20 pieces of gold biscuits, each weighing 166 grams, were recovered from Amit Shaw’s possession which he had been hiding under his clothes. The total weight of the recovered gold is 3 kg 320 grams and its market value has been estimated at Rs 1 crore 71 lakh 87 thousand 640. Furthermore, three mobile phones have also been recovered from the accused.
On being asked, Amit Shaw failed to show the necessary documents of the seized gold. He was immediately arrested for a gold smuggling case and was presented in the Siliguri court today. Reportedly, the seized gold first reached Malda via the Indo-Myanmar border to Assam and then through many states. The gold was then being brought to Siliguri from Malda to be smuggled.