DRI arrests Gujarat man at Varanasi airport with smuggled gold in paste form
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested a man from Gujarat at the Varanasi airport for allegedly carrying smuggled gold in paste form. The arrest was made on Sunday after a flight from Sharjah landed at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport.
According to a DRI official, the agency had received specific intelligence about a passenger on the Sharjah-Varanasi flight who was suspected to be carrying smuggled gold. Upon arrival, a team of DRI officials conducted a search and discovered gold in a paste or compound form hidden under the passenger's seat.
The passenger was taken into custody. Officials recovered 491.290 grams (net) of 24-carat foreign-origin gold, valued at approximately Rs 70 lakh. The gold in paste form is typically extracted into bullion or bars by smugglers, the official added.
The DRI is investigating the case further to determine the source and intended destination of the contraband. The accused has been produced before a local court and sent to judicial custody.
