The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a gold melting facility in south Mumbai, seized the yellow metal worth Rs 8.93 crore and arrested seven members of a crime syndicate, officials said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.
The central agency had specific intelligence about the facility involved in melting of smuggled gold brought to India from Dubai with the help of carrier passengers recruited by an organized syndicate, an official said.
Accordingly, the DRI`s Mumbai Zonal Unit initiated action under the codename “Operation Alchemist” on Sunday night and uncovered the gold melting unit in the Masjid Bunder area. Initially, a DRI team nabbed two persons, who were coming out of the facility and 8.74 kg of gold in bar form was recovered from their possession, he said, reported PTI.
A search was conducted at the facility, where DRI officials found that two operators were melting smuggled gold and converting the precious metal into bars, he said.
During investigation it surfaced that 18 egg-shaped capsules containing gold were smuggled into India earlier on Sunday after carrier passengers landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the official informed.
The smuggled capsules were melted down at the facility into half a dozen bars weighing 8.74 kg. In a follow-up operation, the DRI apprehended two additional individuals involved in collecting the smuggled capsules along with a key person managing melting operations, he said, reported PTI.
In all, seven accused persons were arrested and gold valued at Rs 8.93 crore was seized during the operation, the official said, adding further probe was underway.
DRI busts international gold smuggling racket; Rs 1.4 cr yellow metal seized, 2 held
Earlier, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had arrested the “mastermind” of a gold smuggling syndicate and an Air India crew member after seizing the precious metal valued at Rs 1.41 crore from them, officials said on June 14, reported news agency PTI.
The DRI had specific intelligence about the syndicate involving airline crew members indulging in the smuggling of foreign origin gold from the US to India, and hence heightened surveillance at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, an official said, reported PTI.
Accordingly, the DRI intercepted a male crew member of the Air India flight AI-116, which arrived in Mumbai from New York on June 13, he said.
An initial search of the crew member did not result in any recovery.
During his questioning, it came to light that he had concealed the pouch containing the foreign-origin gold bars, wrapped in black duct tape, near the baggage services area during the post-flight breathalyzer test for crew members, the official said, reported PTI.
Accordingly, the pouch was retrieved and foreign-origin gold bars weighing 1,373 grams were recovered, he said.
The accused crew member in his statement admitted to smuggling gold into India on previous occasions as well, the official said.
In the follow-up action, the “mastermind” of the syndicate, who had been engaging crew members to smuggle gold into India, was also intercepted, he said, reported PTI.
The “mastermind” also admitted to his involvement in the smuggling of gold, the official said.
Both the accused persons were arrested under provisions of the Customs Act, he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
