Meghalaya customs officials seize gold worth over Rs1 crore smuggled from Bangladesh

Customs officials in India's Meghalaya intercepted a vehicle and recovered 14 gold biscuits valued at over Rs1 crore, that were being smuggled from Bangladesh to Shillong on Friday (22 September).

According to Meghalaya's Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) (CCP), sleuths, responding swiftly to credible intel that a sizable quantity of gold of foreign origin smuggled through the Indo-Bangladesh border of Meghalaya would be transported in a vehicle to Guwahati, intercepted a car at Jhalupara, Shillong.

The vehicle had one occupant, a resident of Rangia in Assam, though originally from West Bengal.

"On interrogation, he confessed that smuggled gold of foreign origin was in his possession. Thereafter, 14 pieces of gold, which were packed in two plastic pouches were recovered. Total weight was 1632.450 grams valued at Rs.1,01,78,326/-," read a communique issued by CCP, Shillong.

Specific details of a middleman who had handed him one gold biscuit were gathered and on a swift follow-up action, the officers of CCP intercepted the said person at Jhalupara, officials said.

The accused further revealed that he had collected the gold from a lady at a shop in Bara Bazar, Shillong. A further operation at the said shop resulted in the recovery of Rs9.5 lakh in cash which is admitted to be sale proceeds of smuggled gold, which was also seized, the officials added.

"The lady was also interrogated, and it was revealed that the gold was smuggled from the Indo-Bangladesh border. Three persons have been arrested, and further investigation is in progress," added the statement from the CCP.