In a major development, Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday late evening confirmed that it had carried out major search operations on 22 premises at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh as well as neighbouring state of Jharkhand.

The search operations had covered residence, workshop and showroom premises of leading jewellers, a few chartered accounts and their associates, in Raipur, Durg and Rajnandgaon districts, who were part of a syndicate involved in smuggling of foreign-origin gold. The search operations carried out under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, took place for three consecutive days, August 5, 6 and 7, at 21 premises in Chhattisgarh and one premise in Jharkhand respectively, in connection

with investigation related to smuggling of foreign origin Gold and other precious metals through illicit channels

from Bangladesh to Raipur via Kolkata. “The searches yielded overwhelming results as it led to recovery and seizure of unaccounted/unexplainable gold bullion weighing around 3,845 gram, gold ornaments weighing around 12,810.63 gram, silver weighing around 671.77 Kg, cash around Rs 1.41 crore, documents related to sale/purchase of Gold/Silver and some digital devices. In all, the total value of seizure is over Rs 13.62 crore, even as further investigation is under progress,” E D sources told ‘The Hitavada’, requesting anonymity.

According to the sources, the ED had initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of a Prosecution Complaint filed by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) under Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962.

“A professional carrier of gold was caught by DRI while smuggling gold and precious stones through off routes and illicit channels. DRI recovered gold from his possession which was of foreign origin and was brought into India from Bangladesh through a smuggling channel and was transported from Kolkata to Raipur for its consumption at Raipur by Vijay Kumar Baid alias Vicky and others,” the sources recalled. Sources further disclosed that the ED during the investigation had found that a large scale smuggling syndicate is operating in the state of Chhattisgarh and nearby states. “The modus operandi of this syndicate is that foreign origin gold is being smuggled into the country and the route is that the smuggled gold is received in Myanmar from where it comes to Bangladesh and further enters the state of West Bengal; from West Bengal, the smuggled Gold reaches other states like Chhattisgarh through road transport and train transport,” the sources maintained. Notably, a number of such cases have been booked by the law enforcement agencies against the offenders involved in the recent times.