THIMPHU: A Bhutan national has been arrested by revenue intelligence officials for allegedly trying to smuggle in gold valuing about Rs 4.42 crore here.
The accused, identified as Kinle Dorje, was intercepted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials after his arrival at New Delhi railway station on Saturday, official sources said.
It is for the first time that a Bhutanese has been arrested for allegedly smuggling gold, they said.
He was carrying 17 kilogrammes of gold. There were 17 bars of gold weighing one kilogramme each. He has tied them around his waist, the sources said.
The value of the gold has been assessed to be Rs 4.42 crore, they said.
“During interrogation, Dorje claimed interrogators that he was given gold by a Chinese national. He was not given information about the recipient of the gold,” a source said.
48-year-old Dorje was presented before a court here from where he was sent to judicial remand till July 4.
Dorje entered India from West Bengal side and boarded a train to New Delhi from New Jalpaiguri railway station. The DRI officials were following him after he entered India and caught him at New Delhi railway station, the source said.
