DRI: Gang smuggled Rs 1,000 crore gold in eight months till racket was busted.

MUMBAI: Directorate Revenue of Intelligence (DRI), probing the 110kg gold smuggling case, involving businessmen from Mumbai and Kerala, revealed that the gang smuggled more than 3,000kg of gold worth Rs 1,000 crore in eight months. A DRI official said the accused smuggled gold in 24 consignments from July last year to March this year, when the racket was busted and 14 persons were arrested.  “During scrutiny, it transpired that the syndicate smuggled 3,396kg gold, which is one of the biggest seizures in recent years. Hence, the accused were detained under stringent sections of Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Act (COFEPOSA),” said a source. As Bombay high court said COFEPOSA was not applicable on technical grounds last week, DRI will move the Supreme Court on Monday.  Officials said if the accused are released, they may smuggle gold again. 
DRI has so far confiscated nine cars, Rs 2 crore, and 185kg gold worth Rs 60 crore. They will confiscate properties of the main players, Dubai businessman Nisar Aliyar, jeweller ‘Happy Dhakkad’, Manoj Jain, financier Ashfaq Shiningwala, hawala operator Aquil Fruitwala and Shoeb Zoradarwala. DRI is also writing to Enforcement Directorate as the accused have diverted proceeds of the crime to accounts outside the country too. 

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