Vijayawada Customs seize ₹6.4 crore-worth gold

 VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada Customs Commissionerate has seized gold of Dubai and Sri Lanka origin after intercepting a car from travelling from Chennai to Vijayawada at Bollapalli toll plaza.

Vijayawada customs principal commissioner P. Sriram said they seized 4.3 kg gold from the occupant of the car. Following up further, they searched the person’s premises and recovered 6.8 kg of gold jewellery, all worth ₹6.4 crore, along with ₹1.5 lakh in foreign currency, including Kuwait dinar and Qatar and Oman riyals.

Sriram said they have arrested the carrier of smuggled gold under provisions of the Customs Act 1962. The accused has been remanded to 13 days of judicial custody.

The principal commissioner said customs authorities are continuing to face a difficult task in tracking down syndicates behind the smuggled gold, as their markings are being defaced before the gold is moved to interior areas.

Sriram said in the year 2022–23 and 2023–24, the Vijayawada Customs Commissionerate seized around 70 kg of smuggled gold valued at about ₹40 crores.