Huge haul of smuggled gold, cash in Andhra: Customs

“The Customs Commissionerate (Preventive), Vijayawada, has busted a huge case of smuggled gold, coming into Andhra Pradesh, in a massive operation simultaneously conducted at multiple locations in the state,” Customs Commissioner K Engineer said in a release.

Amaravati: The Customs Commissionerate (Preventive) on Thursday made a haul of over 13 kg in gold and over Rs 4 crore in cash in a search of various places in Andhra Pradesh. “The Customs Commissionerate (Preventive), Vijayawada, has busted a huge case of smuggled gold, coming into Andhra Pradesh, in a massive operation simultaneously conducted at multiple locations in the state,” Customs Commissioner K Engineer said in a release.

About 100 Customs sleuths formed into 20 teams and conducted the search on trains and buses at Kakinada, Nellore, Sullurpet, Eluru, and Chilakaluripet and confiscated 13.189 kg of gold and Rs 4.24 crore in cash from different people. The value of the seized gold was estimated to be Rs 6.7 crore, said Engineer.

This was the highest-ever seizure of smuggled gold and cash since the formation of Customs Commissionerate (Preventive) in Vijayawada in 2014. Some of the confiscated gold was found with foreign markings. “On some, the foreign marks were deliberately erased to try and camouflage the smuggled nature of the gold,” the Commissioner added.

The Customs officials intercepted a bus on its way to Sullurpet from Chennai and seized five kg of gold and Rs 4.24 crore in cash from a passenger. The case was suspected to be proceeds of smuggled gold. The release said four people were arrested in connection with the smuggling of gold and the economic offences special judge remanded them in judicial custody.