New Delhi, Sep 23 The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has attached gold bars worth Rs 54 crore, which were seized during cross-border anti-smuggling operations in Assam, under the anti-money laundering law.
In June, the Assam Police seized the gold from Akshay Parshuram Bansode at Kharghuli Hatisil, Guwahati. The central agency said in a statement that the yellow metal is currently in custody at the Kamrup Metro Treasury.
The probe pertains to offences related to the organised illegal transportation and concealment of smuggled gold from the UAE and Myanmar and linked criminal conspiracy.
The ED said Bansode had, for several years, transported gold across India on the instructions of an unidentified person controlling a syndicate of couriers, using a coded identification system, in return for a fixed monthly remuneration.
It added that the seized gold was allegedly smuggled into India through Myanmar and the UAE, with payments routed through hawala channels. The gold was then sought to be introduced into the formal bullion trade using invoices generated by certain traders linked to a bullion refining company.
A provisional order was issued by the Guwahati Zonal office-I under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the 37.06 kg gold comprising 29 big bars and 50 small pieces along with with ancillary silver-coloured metal flakes weighing 13 grams, the agency said.
It added that the estimated value of this seized gold was Rs 54 crore.
(PTI News)
