The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has successfully dismantled a major international gold-smuggling syndicate in a pan-India operation. This operation spanned across multiple states, with the DRI seizing a substantial 31.7 kilograms of smuggled gold valued at ₹19 crore. The operation targeted key syndicate locations in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh and resulted in the arrest of eleven individuals involved in the illegal trade.
The gold-smuggling syndicate, which specialized in the trafficking of foreign-origin gold, had devised a complex and covert route. It initiated its operations by smuggling gold through the international border with Bangladesh, after which the contraband was discreetly rerouted to urban hubs like Mumbai, Nagpur, and Varanasi. The DRI's intervention was based on specific intelligence and aimed to neutralize this illicit operation.
The massive gold seizure of 31.7 kilograms took place in various locations across India. In Mumbai, the DRI team apprehended five individuals and successfully recovered 4.9 kilograms of smuggled gold. Those arrested in Mumbai were identified as Arun Pujari, Nitesh Gorad, Kiran Mandale, Tushar Jadhav, and Rohit Waghmare. This operation was prompted by specific intelligence, suggesting that four individuals were poised to bring the contraband into the city and transfer it near a Juhu ATM. The DRI vigilantly monitored the situation and managed to intercept the suspects, leading to the discovery of 4.9 kilograms of gold in Arun Pujari's possession.
In Nagpur, a DRI team apprehended two individuals and successfully recovered 8.5 kilograms of foreign-marked gold. During the course of their interrogation, two alleged recipients of the smuggled gold were identified and subsequently detained. Meanwhile, in Varanasi, the DRI team, in collaboration with local law enforcement, intercepted a vehicle in which two accused were traveling. The operation involved a dramatic three-hour chase through the streets and a comprehensive search operation that extended into a forested area. Ultimately, approximately 18.2 kilograms of gold were discovered concealed below the hand brake of the car.
The operation, executed with meticulous planning and a high degree of coordination among various DRI units, led to the arrest of a total of eleven individuals. These arrested individuals played various roles within the gold smuggling syndicate, encompassing carriers, handlers, and final recipients of the smuggled gold.
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