Revenue intelligence and customs officers are set to intensify surveillance and increase vigilance on international borders to combat potential gold smuggling following a significant increase in customs duty on gold.
Customs officials at Delhi airport seized 115 smuggled gold bars weighing 3.5 kg from an American national of Indian origin, who allegedly concealed the contraband in a specially designed belt.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a gold smuggling operation at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, arresting 24 female carriers and seizing a significant quantity of gold.
Nepal's former parliament speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara and others have been accused of facilitating gold smuggling, leading to a corruption case filed by the CIAA.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a major international gold smuggling syndicate operating through Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, arresting five individuals and seizing a significant quantity of gold.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 29.37 kg of gold worth Rs 37.74 crore from 24 women at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, uncovering a significant smuggling operation.
Former Nepal speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a gold smuggling case dating back three years. He is accused of assisting criminal gangs in selling smuggled gold.
Kannada film actress Ranya Rao is set to be released from Bengaluru Central Jail after a year of detention in a gold smuggling case.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has imposed a hefty fine on Kannada film actress Ranya Rao and others in connection with a gold smuggling case. The actress was caught with 14.8 kg of gold at Bengaluru airport.
A Special Court of Economic Offences in Bengaluru rejected the bail plea of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, who is accused of gold smuggling. The second accused, Tarun Raju, has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days. Ranya, the stepdaughter of a DGP rank officer, was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 after gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her. Subsequent searches at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery and Indian currency. Authorities discovered that Tarun Raju allegedly facilitated the smuggling operation by coordinating the gold's transport and distribution within India.
The Customs department seized gold worth Rs 3.15 crore from two passengers at Mumbai airport, including a finance professional smuggling gold due to US-Iran conflict concerns.
The gems and jewellery industry anticipates challenging times following the government's decision to increase gold import duty to 15 per cent, a move that exporters warn could fuel the grey market and heighten smuggling risks.
Customs officials at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport have thwarted two separate gold smuggling attempts, seizing over 3.17 kg of gold worth approximately Rs 4.35 crore and arresting three foreign nationals.
Kannada film actress Ranya Rao has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment under COFEPOSA in connection with a gold smuggling case. She was caught with 14.2 kilograms of gold, valued at approximately Rs 12.56 crore, at Kempegowda International Airport.
Customs officials at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport seized electronic items, cosmetics, cigarettes, and crude gold worth over Rs 1.79 crore from passengers arriving from Dubai, leading to one arrest.
The Karnataka government has revoked the suspension order of DGP K Ramachandra Rao and reinstated him into service with immediate effect, posting him as Director General of Police (Police Manual). Rao was suspended in January following allegations of misconduct and embarrassment to the state administration.
The Director General of Police (DGP) of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, Ramachandra Rao, has denied any knowledge of his stepdaughter Ranya Rao's alleged involvement in gold smuggling. Rao expressed deep distress over the incident, saying his reputation has been tarnished irreparably. He emphasised his lifelong dedication to honesty, integrity and discipline, and said his commitment to public service has always been his priority. Rao said he had no knowledge of the situation unfolding in his life and asked for fairness towards himself and his family. The DGP assured that if any laws were violated by Ranya, legal action would be taken.
Despite a sharp increase in import duties on gold and silver to 15 per cent, the precious metals are trading at significant discounts in the domestic market, with gold seeing discounts of up to $200 an ounce and silver up to $6 an ounce.
Officials were surprised at how quickly smugglers appraised the Covid situation to recruit jobless migrant workers to ship gold.
A jeweller in Beed district was allegedly assaulted and robbed of Rs 3 lakh by fraudsters who promised to sell him gold biscuits smuggled from Dubai. Two suspects were arrested after their motorcycle crashed during their escape, while others remain at large.
Ramachandra Rao is presently serving as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
Odisha police conducted coordinated raids across multiple districts targeting individuals involved in illegal cattle transportation and smuggling, resulting in significant seizures and detentions.
According to a source, Suhail Thanalot, a senior crew member of AIE and a native of Thillenkeri in Kannur district, was apprehended following intelligence and evidence compiled by the DRI regarding his involvement in the gold smuggling incident.
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
The Indian government has increased import duties on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent to curb inbound shipments of precious metals amid a rising import bill due to the West Asia crisis.
In the second half of April, the discount on gold came down to $3 an ounce.
AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal has released an open letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging secret deals with BJP leaders and the central government, raising questions about the LDF government's functioning ahead of the Assembly elections.
Swapna is among the four accused booked by the NIA in the smuggling of 30 kg of gold through diplomatic baggage which arrived at the Thiruvanathapuram International airport.
As govt tries hard to choke the metal import, entry through unofficial channels doubled to 60 tonnes in first 5 months of this financial year
A day after Suresh, a prime accused who was recently released on bail gave a series of interviews to television channels, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan accused Chief Minister Pinarayi's office of intervening to get the illegal baggage released and helping the accused to leave the state.
NIA said that accused Ramees KT and Sharafudheen had travelled to Tanzania and visited shops in the African country where guns are sold. In Tanzania, Rameez attempted to procure a licence for the diamond business. He later smuggled gold to the UAE.
The gold, weighing over 30 kg, was seized from the "diplomatic baggage" that had landed by air cargo at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport recently from the Gulf.
NSEL, has up to Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) daily turnover in e-golds.
The ED case has been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the agency will record the statement of the accused. The central agency will investigate if proceeds of crime were generated by the accused by laundering of funds that were earned through the alleged gold smuggling racket.
Key accused in the sensational gold smuggling in diplomatic bags case, Swapna Suresh, on Wednesday claimed a co-accused in the case was allegedly forcibly taken away from her residence on Wednesday morning, after she claimed there was a threat to her life and that is why she gave a statement to a court about the alleged involvement of others, including the Kerala chief minister.
An alert has been issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, lead agency to check smuggling and customs duty evasion, to all international transit points across the country, official sources said.
Customs officials at Delhi's IGI Airport seized over four kilogrammes of suspected marijuana valued at 4 crore from an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok. Another person who had allegedly come to receive the consignment was also arrested.
Based on the estimate, a courier bringing in 1 kg of gold currently worth around $40,000 at world prices could earn $470 if not caught.
The enforcement agencies during the first nine months of 2013-14 have seized 1,074.41 kg of gold
In a letter written by Director General of DRI Najeeb Shah, Air India has been asked to sanitise its staff, especially those involved in ground-handling duties, official sources said.
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