Gold worth over Rs 20 crore seized from two fishing boats

In a major crackdown, foreign origin gold valued at Rs 20.21 crore was seized in a joint operation by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) with the help of Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Mandapam & Ramnad Customs, Preventive Division.

The foreign origin gold was seized from two fishing boats while it was being smuggled into India from Sri Lanka through the coast. Acting on a specific input that foreign origin gold is being smuggled from Sri Lanka through Vedhalai coast in Ramnad by different gangs using fishing boats, surveillance was earlier increased.

One of the suspected fishing boats was intercepted by a team of DRI officers and Coast Guard officers on May 30, after a chase in the sea. During the course of interception, the persons in the fishing boat dropped the contraband parcel into the sea. The contraband parcel containing 11.6 kg of foreign origin gold valued at Rs 7.13 crore was retrieved from the seabed with the help of expert divers of Coast Guard and the same was seized along with the boat used for smuggling the gold.

Same day, the DRI Officers onboarded an Indian customs patrol boat and approached towards the suspected fishing boat. It was observed that the inmates of the boat were handing over a parcel to two receivers waiting on the shore.

On examination of the persons, eight packets were found inside a jacket carried by them. Detailed examination led to the recovery of 21.269 kg of foreign origin gold valued at Rs 13.08 crore from the persons, sources said.