Investigation into the gold smuggling case probed by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths led them to the seizure of diamonds worth crores of rupees found from the possession of the kingpin of the smuggling gang, that is on the run. The agency had recently seized seven boxes of uncut diamonds which have been sent for exact valuation. The agency has also identified the Chinese national who runs the syndicate from Hong Kong.
On August 06, officials of the DRI along with the Customs department had seized two consignments of 18 kilograms each of gold worth Rs 10 crore, smuggled in via an air courier from Hong Kong. The gold was concealed in power supply panels.
“Probe revealed that both the consignments were sent through Mas Courier, owned by one Khwaja Moinuddin’s brother-in-law Abdullah Shaikh. Moinuddin and Shaikh were then arrested after their role surfaced in the smuggling racket. The syndicate has allegedly smuggled in 600kg worth Rs180 crore,” said a DRI official.
He added the other players involved in the racket and are on the run are Chennai based Samuel, brothers Ramesh and Mahesh Italia, and Surat based diamond traders Sandeep and Bharat Bhingradiya.
“Once the gold were smuggled in India, the consignment were handed over to Bhingradiya brothers in Surat. A Hong Kong based Chinese national is the source of these gold. 36 percent customs duty is charged on the total quantity of gold imported, the syndicate would evade this duty causing loss to the government. When Surat office of Bhingradiya brother’s was raided this week, we got seven boxes full of uncut diamonds from the office. The valuation of diamonds will be done and we have seized the diamonds,” said the official.
