Department of Revenue Intelligence sleuths and Assam Rifles troopers, in a joint operation on Thursday, seized over 12 kg of gold valued at Rs 3.62 crore in Manipur, said a release.

The raid, conducted on the basis of specific intelligence developed by DRI, unearthed gold from the India-Myanmar border at Moreh.

The joint team stopped two vehicles at Khudengthabi travelling from Moreh towards Imphal for checking, and found gold biscuits hidden inside the front and rear tyre of both cars.

Two persons have been apprehended, the DRI release said.

The gold has been seized under the Customs Act.

DRI is the lead agency to combat cross border crime involving smuggling of gold, consumer goods, drugs and narcotics, wild life articles, Fake Indian Currency Notes and counterfeit goods, import-export frauds and trade based money laundering.

Northeastern region including Assam having boundaries with Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and China is particularly sensitive from the perspective of smuggling activities and cross border crime.

There have been significant seizures of gold bars of foreign origin smuggled from Myanmar through the India-Myanmar border adjacent to Moreh and also from the Zokhawthar border with Myanmar in Mizoram.

In the ongoing year, DRI with the help of Assam RifleA has made seizure of total 28 kg of foreign origin smuggled gold in two separate cases in Manipur at the same place.

Police officials have seized currency totalling around 2.17 crores near Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district in the early hours today.The seized money is said to be belonging to the BJP candidate according to the confessions of the car driver from which the money was recovered.

The incident has taken place at around 4 am near Hettala Bommanahatti village and the car in which the unaccounted money was being smuggled out is said to be of Ballari origin but coming from Andhra Pradesh.

In another episode around Rs. 17 lakhs without any tangible records has been taken into custody near the Navayug toll gate of Devanahalli on the outskirts of the city. Naveen,driver of the vehicle has been arrested in this connection.

Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti

The sleuths of Income Tax department conducted a raid on the residence of Mangaldas Kamath, said to be a close confidant of Satish Sail,sitting Karwar Congress MLA and party candidate this morning in Karwar district.

The raid is still on at Kamath’s residence at Avarsa in Ankola taluk and the officials are examining the documents available at his house.Prior to the current raid the income tax department officials had also visited the house of Satish Sail in Sadashivgada.

The officials are said to have come from Hubballi and Bengaluru. It’s not clear on whether any incriminating documents and money has been seized so far.

Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti