Andhra Pradesh: Vijayawada Customs seize smuggled gold worth Rs 6.4 cr, one held

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India]: The Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate in Vijayawada seized over 11 kg of smuggled gold worth Rs 6.4 crore at Bollapalli Toll Plaza, informed officials, adding that a person was arrested during the operation.

According to officials, the Vijayawada Customs on Friday busted a case of smuggled gold of Dubai and Sri Lanka origins that was headed for Andhra Pradesh.

A car travelling from Chennai to Vijayawada was intercepted at Bollapalli Toll Plaza by customs officials, who recovered nearly 4.3 kg of gold, the officials said.

Further, according to officials, the foreign markings on the gold were deliberately erased to camouflage the smuggled nature of the gold.

The accused was arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 on Saturday. He was remanded to 13 days’ judicial custody by a Vishakhapatnam court.

The officers, as part of a follow-up operation, conducted a search at the accused’s premises and recovered 6.8 kg of gold jewellery along with foreign currency (Kuwait Dinar, Qatar Riyal, Oman Rial) worth Rs 1.5 lakh.

Further investigation is underway, the officials added.

In 2022-23 and 2023-24, the Vijayawada Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate made seizures of smuggled gold to the tune of 70 kgs, valued at about Rs 40 crores.