Imphal, April 30: In a major crackdown on gold smuggling, a joint team of the Anti-Smuggling Unit of Customs Division Imphal, Air Intelligence Unit and CISF seized 972.28 grams of gold paste worth Rs 70.31 lakh from an individual at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, Imphal, on Sunday.

According to a statement released by the Customs Division, Imphal, the team intercepted the individual on a specific tip-off. It recovered a packet of gold paste from their possession within the airport complex. The individual was subsequently taken to the Customs Division, Imphal’s office for further investigation and necessary legal action.

Two additional packets of gold paste, concealed inside rubber sheaths and shaped like eggs, were found hidden inside the individual’s rectum during a search at the Customs Division office. The total weight of the three packets of gold paste smuggled from a foreign country is 972.28 grams, with a market value of Rs 70,31,601.

The authorities are investigating the case to identify and apprehend other offenders involved in the smuggling racket. The seizure is a significant blow to gold smuggling operations in the region.

Smuggled gold, often originating from neighboring countries, enters India through porous borders, including the Indo-Myanmar Border. From there, it is transported to various parts of the country using different modes of transportation, including air, road, and other means. Once inside the country, the gold is distributed to various states, where it is sold on the black market, often at exorbitant prices, fueling the illegal gold trade and causing significant revenue losses to the government.

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