Hyderabad: In an operation carried out during the early hours of Friday, August 25, the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate in Vijayawada successfully seized a cache of contraband consisting of over 11 kg of gold jewelry valued at INR 6.4 crore and foreign currencies amounting to INR 1.5 lakh, originating from Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman.
The intercepted gold, which had been smuggled from Dubai and Sri Lanka, was discovered concealed within a vehicle en route to Vijayawada from Chennai. The interception occurred at the Bopalli toll plaza, leading to the recovery of approximately 4.3 kg of gold.
Upon further investigation, a subsequent search operation was conducted at the suspect’s premises, resulting in the discovery of an additional 6.8 kg of gold jewelry and foreign currencies including Kuwaiti Dinar, Omani Rial, and Qatari Riyal, collectively valued at INR 1.5 lakh.
Customs officials noted that deliberate efforts had been made to erase foreign markings on the gold in order to mask its illicit nature. Consequently, the authorities arrested the individual responsible for transporting the smuggled gold on Saturday under the provisions of the Customs Act of 1962. The accused has since been remanded to 13 days of judicial custody by a court in Vishakhapatnam.
Over the past two fiscal years, namely 2022-23 and 2023-24, the Vijayawada Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate has recorded a series of successful seizures, amassing a total of 70 kg of smuggled gold with an estimated value of approximately INR 40 crore.
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