Man held for alleged gold smuggling via rail route

Vijayawada: A man was on Tuesday arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle five kilograms of gold worth around Rs 1.45 crore in a train, a Customs official said.

The accused, hailing from Tamil Nadu, was detained at Rajamahendravaram in East Godavari district while he was on his way to Chennai from Visakhapatnam by train, according to Customs Commissioner A Rahman.

“We had specific information about the smuggling of gold and we accordingly laid a trap. The gold was concealed in a water purifying machine that was imported from Malaysia”, Rahman said. The accused started off in Kolkata and was on his onward journey from Visakhapatnam by train with the gold and reached Rajamahendravaram this afternoon when he fell into the Customs' trap.

“These days gold smugglers are using trains. We have arrested 12 persons since January last year and seized 12-kg gold. We will give 20 per cent as reward to those who provide credible information leading to seizure of gold”, the Customs Commissioner said.

PTI