India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 210 kg of gold, valued at about 590 million Indian rupees, smuggled through coastal routes from Sri Lanka during the last three financial years.

Giving details of the latest seizure of 13.76 kg of gold, smuggled from Sri Lanka to the Rameswaram coast, after busting a coastal smuggling gang, officials said that the seizures were possible due to the dedicated anti-smuggling operations carried out over a period of time.

Over the years, DRI has been bravely and fiercely guarding the ultra sensitive India - Sri Lanka coast by halting gangs of smugglers in their acts, an official release said.

The officers had developed an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the topography of the coastal area, its bays, estuaries and creeks which offered convenient hideouts and escape routes for the smuggling syndicates, the release said.

DRI which had seized 7.36 kg of gold from a passenger after intercepting a Chennai-bound Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus at Pattinamkathan check post in Ramanathapuram on Wednesday night, identified the accused as Jaffer Ali.

Resuming operation the next day, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials seized 6.40 kg of gold after intercepting two persons in Rameswaram coastline and identified them as M. Nagarathinam and M. Ramanathan.

The three smugglers were arrested under the provisions of Customs Act and remanded in judicial custody, the release said.

Source: The Hindu

-Agencies