The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested five Hong Kong-bound foreign nationals at the Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle out of India nearly half-a-million US Dollars (USD), officials said.
The DRI, the enforcement arm of the Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs (CBIC), on Wednesday, intercepted the five passengers, all from Taiwan, at the Terminal 3 of IGI Airport, they said.
The five were about to depart for Hong Kong.
An examination of their checked-in baggage resulted in the recovery of USD 4,49,600 equivalent to Rs 3,25,51,040 which they were attempting to smuggle out of India, the officials said.
The foreigners, who arrived at New Delhi from Hong Kong on August 25, confessed to be a part of a larger syndicate involved in smuggling of foreign origin gold into India and smuggling out of sale proceeds (foreign currency) out of India, they said.
The recovered foreign currency was seized and the five were arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act.
The accused were on Thursday produced by the DRI before a court which sent them to judicial custody for 14 days, the officials said.
