The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Hyderabad unit, on Thursday arrested three persons from from Choutuppal on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad national highway for foreign-origin gold smuggling. The officials seized 3.5 kg of gold worth 2.5 crore from their possession.
Acting on a tip-off that smuggled foreign-origin gold was being transported by road from Chennai, officials intercepted three persons travelling in a car at Panthangi toll plaza in Choutuppal.
Cops said the three accused in the car concealed the gold in a specially made cavity under the handbrake, which could be opened through a latch next to the clutch.
Officers found three packages wrapped in brown tape containing five bars of 24 carat gold of 99.5% purity.
