US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Pak national arrested in Bombay for smuggling gold

The Bombay Customs Preventive Commissionerate has arrested a Pakistani national for smuggling in 300 gold bars, worth over Rs 140 million.

The arrest comes in the wake of the alerts sounded for Independence Day. The accused, Tanveer H Awan, who holds a Pakistani passport, was taken into custody from a merchant vessel, M V Barzan, docked in the Mole station at the Indira dockyard.

The gold bars were of .999 purity and weighed 10 tolas each.

M V Barzan has a 45-member crew on board. Twenty-three are Pakistanis. Bombay Joint Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) S P Singh said the vessel valued at Rs 344 million has been detained under the Customs Act, 1962.

Asked whether the accused had links with the Pakistani spy agency, the Inter-Service Intelligence, Buck said, ''He is basically an intermediate smuggling gold and was offered US $ 3,000 by the consignee."

Awan, who holds a diploma in diesel engine mechanism, had made two trips earlier this year and smuggled in at least 800 gold bars, the officer added.

Singh said the Customs had maintained a discreet surveillance on the vessel, which arrived on August 13.

This is the second major haul of the year. In March, the Customs had seized 270 gold bars.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report