Expanding its probe into the seizure of 108 kilogrammes of gold bars from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the India-China border, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) found that gold bars were smuggled from seven countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Dubai, and were brought to Tibet, from where they were meant to be smuggled into India.
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Sabah Customs seize contraband cigarettes worth RM8 million
Customs officials in Sabah seized various brands of contraband cigarettes worth over RM8 million, in a raid at Lorong Sedco 9, Batu 3, Sandakan last week.
Sabah Zone Customs assistant director-general Datuk Mohd Nasir Deraman, said acting on intelligence , the raid was conducted at 4.55 pm on July 10 by a team from the Customs Enforcement Division in Kota Kinabalu at an unnumbered storage facility. “During the raid, various brands of suspected untaxed cigarettes were found stored in the facility. The total seized amounted to 5.26 million sticks of various brands valued at RM526,228.
“The estimated value of duties and taxes involved is RM7.52 million. Three Malaysian men aged between 33 and 47 were arrested to assist in the investigation,“ he said at a press conference at the Customs Tower here today.
He explained that the modus operandi in this case was to conceal untaxed goods with the intention of evading taxes and gaining a competitive edge in the local market, and the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
https://thesun.my/local-news/sabah-customs-seize-contraband-cigarettes-worth-rm8-million-BH12738595
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13 Kg Gold, Electronic Items Worth ₹ 10.33 Crore Seized At Mumbai Airport
The Mumbai Customs has made significant seizures totalling 13.24 kg of gold, electronics items valued at ₹ 10.33 crore, and foreign currency of ₹ 45 lakh in 24 cases in five days at the international airport here, leading to the arrest of seven passengers, officials said on Wednesday.These cases were detected by Mumbai Customs Zone III between July 10 and July 14.
The gold was concealed in various forms, such as gold dust in wax, crude jewellery, and gold bars ingeniously hidden in clothes, between layers of paper, and on or inside the bodies of passengers. Seven individuals have been arrested in connection with these seizures.
Among the arrested were five Indian nationals: two from Dubai, two from Abu Dhabi, and one from Jeddah. They were found carrying 24KT gold dust, crude gold chains, and bangles with a total net weight of 4,850 grams. The contraband was concealed on their bodies, between layers of clothing, and in their baggage, an official said.
Additionally, two Indian nationals from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand were intercepted by CISF and handed over to the AIU. They were found with two pouches containing 24KT gold dust in wax, weighing 1,950 grams, hidden inside a handbag. They were subsequently arrested.
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Customs Seizes 59 iPhones and other Luxury Goods Worth Rs. 69.23 Lakhs at Delhi Indira Gandhi Airport
The Customs authorities at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport seized a cache of luxury items from two Indian nationals arriving from Milan on July 14. The seizure, valued at Rs. 69.23 lakhs, included 59 iPhones, 2 Airpods, 1 iPad Air, 3 pairs of Gucci goggles, and 1 pair of Gucci sneakers. Acting under the Section110 of the Customs Act, 1962, officials arrested the individuals upon their arrival at the terminal. A thorough personal search and baggage examination led to the discovery of the smuggled goods concealed among their belongings. The Delhi Customs ( Airport and General ) has shared the seizure officially through its ‘X’ account. It stated that : “Based on profiling, Customs@IGI Airport have seized 59 iPhones along with other luxury goods collectively valued at Rs. 69.23 Lakhs from two Indian nationals who arrived from Milan. The passengers have been arrested under Customs Act 1962. Further investigation is underway.”
Section 110 of the Customs Act grants authority to proper officers of Customs to seize goods, documents, and items if there is a belief that they are liable to confiscation. When the proper officer determines that it is impractical to physically remove, transport, or store the seized goods, the officer may leave the goods in the custody of the owner, beneficial owner, or any person claiming to be the importer, provided they sign an undertaking not to remove or deal with the goods without permission. Additionally, if seizing the goods is not feasible, the officer can issue an order to the relevant person, prohibiting them from removing or dealing with the goods without prior authorization.
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Hong Kong Customs Seize $80 Million Worth of Suspected Smuggled Goods from Ocean-Going Vessels, Investigations Underway, Arrests Possible
Hong Kong Customs detects two smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels
Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels in July. A large batch of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $80 million was seized.
Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods. Strategies were thus formulated, with two suspicious containers scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to the United States and one suspicious container scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to Korea selected for inspection on July 9 and 11 respectively.
Upon examination, Customs officers found a large batch of suspected smuggled goods, including refrigerants, perfumes and lighters, in the two containers destined for the United States. The two containers were declared as carrying “mat, bottle” and “storage bag, bottle” respectively. Also, a large batch of suspected smuggled electronic products, including touch screens, oximeters and electronic parts, was seized in the container departing for Korea declared as carrying “plastic gloves and other rubbers”.
Investigations are ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
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How Chennai YouTuber smuggled 267 kg of gold worth Rs 167 crore in just 2 months: Shocking details
Chennai-based YouTuber Sabir Ali, who operated a souvenir shop named AirHub at Chennai airport, has been arrested for allegedly running an international gold smuggling ring. According to customs officers, Ali employed and trained seven men to smuggle gold by hiding it in their rectums. As per a TOI report, the smuggling operation, which was uncovered on June 29-30, led to the arrest of 29-year-old Ali and his seven employees.
Investigations revealed that the men were paid a monthly salary of Rs 15,000, with an additional Rs 5,000 for each “ball” of gold they smuggled. It is suspected that Ali’s smuggling contacts reached out to him through his YouTube channel, “shoppingboyz.”
Each consignment contained nearly 300 grams of gold paste or powder, packed inside silicone balls. The smugglers would receive these balls from carriers in the airport’s transit lounge, conceal them in their rectums, and then deliver the gold to customers waiting outside the airport.
Over the span of two months, the group allegedly smuggled 267 kg of gold worth Rs 167 crore. Customs officers estimate that Ali earned approximately Rs 2.5 crore during this period. One of the alleged couriers confessed to making 80 such trips in two months. To avoid detection by customs, the smugglers underwent training to hold the gold during squats.
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Mizoram: Assam Rifles seizes smuggled goods worth over Rs 52 lakhs in two operations
Assam Rifles, in collaboration with the Customs Department Champhai, Mizoram, has made significant seizures in separate operations conducted on July 12, 2024.
In the first operation conducted at New Hruikawn, Zokhawthar, authorities recovered 30 cases of foreign origin beer, four cases of foreign origin cigarettes, and 1264 foreign origin e-cigarettes. The approximate value of the seized items is estimated to be Rs 18,54,000/-. This operation was carried out based on specific intelligence inputs.
Simultaneously, in another operation at Melbuk, Zokhawthar, Assam Rifles recovered four hongs of Heroin No. 4, weighing 48 grams. The street value of the seized heroin is approximately Rs 33.60 Lakhs. During the operation, a woman, identified as a resident of Folkland ‘E’, Aizawl, was apprehended. The combined value of the seized goods in this operation totals around Rs 52,14,000/-
Following the operations, the recovered consignments and the apprehended woman were handed over to the Police Department, Zokhawthar, and Customs Department, Champhai, respectively, on July 12, 2024, for further legal proceedings.
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Tales of tragedy resound as illicit liquor thrives
Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu: Adjacent to the court premises, stands a derelict concrete structure in Kallakurichi, a backward district, in northern Tamil Nadu. This building is 49-year-old Kannukuty’s domain. It is where he peddled illicit liquor that claimed 66 lives recently.
“My 61-year-old husband, Subramani, was addicted to illicit liquor because it is cheaper and stronger than what is sold in liquor shops. On the morning of June 19, I saw him with three packets of illicit liquor, gulping them one by one. Within an hour, he complained of loss of eyesight and died later in the evening,” says 55-year-old Ayyamma, a resident of Kallakurichi.
Sold between June 18 and 19, the methanol-laced brew also left many blind, battling for survival. This tragedy, a grim reminder of past horrors, underscores the dangers of a thriving illegal alcohol market, enabled by rampant corruption and negligence in liquor regulation.
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Conditional sales of controlled goods: 164kg of cooking oil seized from Perak shop
The Perak branch of the Domestic Trade and Cost Living Ministry (KPDN) seized 164 kilogrammes of subsidised cooking oil in packets from a sundry shop in Alor Pongsu town, Parit Buntar yesterday.
Perak KPDN director Datuk Kamalludin Ismail said an operation dubbed Ops Samar was launched following public complaints about a shop imposing conditions on the purchase of subsidised 1kg packets of cooking oil.
He said that checks revealed the trader had set conditions requiring customers to purchase other items before being allowed to buy 1kg packets of cooking oil.“An inspection of both the storage area and shelves at the premises uncovered 164 kg of packet cooking oil, estimated to be worth RM410.
“Following the discovery, a stock declaration order was then issued to the premises supervisor under Section 8 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961,” he said.Kamalludin said the case was being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
If an individual is found guilty, they may be fined up to RM1 million or imprisoned for no more than three years, or both, while Any corporate body convicted of an offence against this act could face a fine not exceeding RM2 million.He said that KPDN will not compromise with any individuals or groups involved in the misuse of controlled goods, and will take stricter action, including prosecution in court.
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ITBP seizes 108 kg gold biscuits near China border
The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) arrested two men near the China border in Eastern Ladakh on July 9 for allegedly smuggling 108 kg of gold biscuits from China. While smuggling of smaller items was common, it was the first time ever that an alleged gold smuggling racket was exposed in the area with the arrest of two locals. Another person has been detained, an ITBP official said.
The accused were intercepted by an ITBP team that was out on a Long Range Patrolling in the border areas in Southern Sub Sector (SSS) in Eastern Ladakh to check infiltration and smuggling amid specific inputs of smuggling in the area near Sirigaple, Ladakh.
An operation codenamed Jazba was launched on July 7 and 8 from either directions of the SSS, which is a defined border and not unmarked as in other areas of Eastern Ladakh along Line of Actual Control (LAC) where Indian and Chinese troops are in a stand-off since May 2020.