The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted an organized gold smuggling and an illegal melting racket operating in Delhi and Kolkata. The Ministry of Finance informed that the operation resulted in seizure of gold, silver and Indian currency collectively valued at over 14 crore rupees and the arrest of six persons. It added that over eight kilograms of gold valued at over 13 crore rupees, seven kilograms of silver valued at over 19 Lakh rupees, and Indian currency of over 51 lakh rupees were seized during the operation.

The Ministry said that officers of DRI intercepted a passenger, who had arrived from Kolkata by train, at New Delhi Railway Station with foreign-marked gold meant for delivery to a receiver outside the station. It informed that based on the disclosures, follow-up searches were conducted in Delhi which led to the detection of an illegal gold melting facility in Delhi used for defacing foreign-origin gold before its disposal in the local bullion market. The Ministry also informed that further investigation led to Kolkata, where the mastermind of the syndicate was traced to another illegal melting unit along with more defaced gold.