Mangaluru: In one of the biggest quantities of gold to have been confiscated over the decade, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials from Bengaluru and Mangaluru seized 5 kgs of gold worth over Rs 2 crores at the Air Cargo Complex in Bajpe on January 13.
Working on a tip-off, DRI officers managed to bust the racket and subsequently, unravel a unique method of smuggling gold into the city. The contraband was reportedly concealed in five metal sprockets which had been imported by Swaroop Mineral Pvt Ltd of Udupi, according to a press note issued by the department. Although the gold had been deftly concealed by the hard metal, officers became suspicious after scanning the goods. They were able to retrieve the smuggled gold with the help of a local mechanic who used a lathe machine to carefully break away the outer metal.
After examination by a jeweler, it was revealed that the five plates were of 24-karat gold which would fetch nearly Rs 2 crores in the present market.
Swaroop Mineral Resources Director Manohar Kumar Pookari and Lohith Shriyan were arrested in connection with the case. Further investigation into the case is currently underway.
