The Indian Navy, along with the Marine Police and Customs Department, has apprehended three Sri Lankan fishermen and confiscated 3.5 kg of gold worth some $210,000 as they were trying to smuggle it through Indian waters.
The contraband was to be handed over to four Indian fishermen from Rameshwaram, the last city of India's southern coast in Tamil Nadu.
Indian Navy: Naval helicopter from Indian Naval Air Station, Ramnad intercepted a Srilankan boat within Indian waters off Dhanushkodi on 15 February. The boat was illegally carrying 3.5 kg of gold which was confiscated; Further investigation underway. pic.twitter.com/rXYttpPTrv
— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2020
As per media reports, the Sri Lankans first tried to misguide the authorities about the location of the gold and said, they had already handed it over to their contacts in Rameshwaram and were on the way back to their country.
The Marine Police and customs personnel searched their boat and found the hidden gold and confiscated it.
An investigation has already been launched to trace their Indian contacts.
India has stepped up vigilance along the fishing harbours and in airports in southern Tamil Nadu in view of increased incidents of gold smuggling.
The country has witnessed a spurt in gold smuggling mostly from Singapore, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. In 2019 alone, 355 kg of gold worth $17.2 million were seized through Tamil Nadu, according to India’s Customs Department.
