DRI, BSF Seize 12 kg Smuggled Gold Worth Rs 17 Crore Along Bangladesh Border

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), working alongside the Border Security Force (BSF), has seized approximately 12 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at around Rs 17 crore in a series of operations targeting cross-border smuggling through the India-Bangladesh border. The consignments were recovered from locations along the frontier in West Bengal as well as from a train passenger in Patna.

In West Bengal, BSF personnel of the 161st Battalion recovered 27 pieces of unclaimed smuggled gold weighing about 3.15 kg near the India-Bangladesh Border Road in the area under Border Outpost Gongra on September 20-21. The DRI subsequently took over the proceedings and seized the gold under the Customs Act, 1962.

In a separate operation on September 21, the same BSF unit recovered 10 pieces of 24K foreign-origin gold weighing around 1.16 kg concealed near a handpump in Hathkhola village, ahead of the border fence at Border Outpost Mahakhola. The DRI joined the recovery and seized the gold under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962.

Earlier, on September 10-11, BSF personnel had recovered 48 bars of foreign-origin gold weighing around 5.9 kg near the border fence in the Border Outpost Pathergata area. That consignment was also taken over and seized by the DRI.

In Patna, DRI officers recovered and seized 15 gold bars and four small cut pieces of foreign-origin gold weighing about 1.71 kg from a train passenger. The gold had been concealed in a cloth knee cap wrapped around both of the passenger's legs. Investigations indicated that the gold had been smuggled from Bangladesh, and the individual has been arrested.

The operations reflect the ongoing coordination between the DRI and the BSF to disrupt networks involved in the smuggling, transportation and distribution of foreign-origin gold entering the country through the Bangladesh route.