Rs 6.21 cr worth smuggled gold seized by Customs in Kerala

Gold worth over Rs six crore has been seized and two people, allegedly part of a notorious smuggling syndicate, arrested by the Customs sleuths after a filmy style chase of a Mumbai-bound luxury car in Kasargod district in Kerala, a top official said here on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, a Customs team intercepted the speeding car near Bakel toll booth on Tuesday night and recovered 15.525 kg of gold kept concealed in specially made cavities in the vehicle, Customs Commissioner (Preventive) Sumit Kumar said.

The two men were part of the notorious Kasargod gold smuggling syndicate and arrested by the team led by a Superintendent rank official "in a very courageous and daring operation", he told PTI. "The interception of the speeding car was so dangerous and through sheer vigour and guts the team managed to stop the car and overpower the two men travelling in the car," he said.

The arrested persons told the officials that the gold was smuggled from a foreign nation in powder and paste form, Kumar said.

"The total value of the gold is Rs 6.21 crore. Two persons were arrested under Customs Act, 1962 and further investigation is in progress", he said.