DRI Seizes Foreign Currency Worth Rs 3.51-Cr at Kolkata Airport; Seven Arrested
Kolkata, Nov 11 (TNT) : The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested seven members of a syndicate for allegedly attempting to smuggle foreign currency worth Rs 3.12 crore out of the country through the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata.
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted seven passengers bound for Bangkok in the early hours of November 6 and recovered US dollars and British pounds collectively valued at Rs 3.12 crore during searches of their persons and baggage, the Agency said in a release on Tuesday.
The foreign currency was ingeniously concealed in notebooks, specially designed two-layer compartments in trolley bags, shoes and pockets of clothes packed in checked-in baggage. Some of the currency was also hidden deep inside hand baggage.
The passengers failed to produce documents to establish the ownership or lawful possession of the seized currency.
All seven were arrested and charged with smuggling foreign currency in violation of the Customs Act and FEMA regulations.
In a separate operation, DRI officers intercepted a few other passengers and recovered additional foreign currency equivalent to Rs 39 lakh from their baggage. They were handed over to the Customs authorities for further proceedings.
The total foreign currency seized in the operations was valued at approximately Rs 3.51 crore.
The DRI said it would continue intelligence-led enforcement operations to dismantle organised networks involved in the illicit outflow of foreign currency and safeguard the country’s economic and fiscal interests.
TNT KM
