Ahmedabad, March 18 (NationPress) In a significant operation against illicit gold smuggling, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) executed a raid in the Paldi vicinity of Ahmedabad, confiscating nearly 90 to 100 kg of gold from a broker's home.

The total value of the seized gold is estimated to be around ₹83 crore, as confirmed by officials.

The operation, spearheaded by ATS officers PI Nikhil and PI Chavda, was initiated based on intelligence reports targeting a residence in Paldi.

During the raid, authorities discovered the gold stored as biscuits, alongside various pieces of jewellery.

A precise assessment of the gold's weight is ongoing, but preliminary estimates suggest it to be approximately 95.5 kg. Additionally, cash between ₹60-70 lakh was also recovered.

Authorities are still working to identify the gold's origin, with further investigations in progress.

The ATS and DRI are probing potential connections to gold smuggling rings and financial misconduct.

This collaborative operation showcases the persistent vigilance of law enforcement against illegal gold trading and financial crimes in Gujarat.

Further details are anticipated as the investigation unfolds. In recent years, Gujarat has seen numerous notable gold smuggling incidents.

In July 2023, the DRI seized 48.2 kg of gold paste, valued at around ₹25 crore, at Surat International Airport.

This operation led to the apprehension of three passengers from Sharjah and an airport employee. The gold was cleverly concealed in 20 packets hidden in five black belts within their luggage, with plans to transfer the gold in a restroom before the immigration checkpoint to avoid detection.

In another July 2023 incident, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch detained a jeweller and a couple involved in smuggling gold from Dubai.

The suspects hid gold paste in undergarments, children's diapers, and sanitary pads to bring it into India. Upon arrival, they refined the gold powder to yield pure gold, which was subsequently sold in the local market. This operation has been ongoing since 2021, with an estimated ₹3 crore worth of gold smuggled into the country.

In October 2019, the Customs and Central Excise Department arrested Rutugna Trivedi, the mastermind of a gold smuggling ring that brought around 4 tonnes of gold, valued at ₹1,300 crore, into India over five years.

Trivedi leveraged his international contacts to orchestrate the smuggling, employing carriers and airport staff to circumvent customs checks. The operation came to light after the Air Intelligence Unit intercepted a carrier with 24.5 kg of gold at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in June 2019.