Darjeeling: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Siliguri Regional unit, seized 5.619 kg of gold worth about Rs 6.29 crore and arrested four persons exposing a major smuggling racket. This is the largest haul in recent times.
“Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials first conducted a raid at Dangi road in Kishanganj, Bihar and arrested Suraj Kumar and Pankaj Kumar with 27 pieces of foreign gold biscuits. Their interrogation led to the arrest of two more from a house in Dangi road from where 21 gold biscuits and Rs 2 lakh cash was recovered.
Two persons were arrested including Asish Kumar of Bihar and Souvik Pan of Medinipur, Bengal. Search is on for others involved,” stated Ratan Banik, lawyer representing the DRI. Investigations revealed the gold was smuggled from Bangladesh and was intended to be transported to Delhi via the Rajdhani Express.
The accused were produced before the Siliguri court on Wednesday and remanded in judicial custody till October 8. Officials are probing whether the four were only carriers or linked directly to a wider international smuggling syndicate.