BUREAU (DEFENCE WING) GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
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Chennai, 11 December 2020
INDIAN COAST GUARD IN A JOINT OPERATION WITH DRI RECOVERS 9 KGS OF GOLD IN MANDAPAM, TAMIL NADU
A joint anti-smuggling operation by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) resulted in seizure of approximately Nine Kgs of gold in Gulf of Mannar, off Tamil Nadu coast. The gold bars worth Rs 4.5 Crores were recovered from a fishing boat named ‘Sailor’.
The two-day joint operation took place after DRI sources received a tip off that gold was being smuggled into India through sea route from Sri Lanka. Based on actionable intelligence provided by DRI officials, a well-coordi nated operation was launched by Coast Guard Station Mandapam resulting in apprehension of five fishermen alongwith fishing boat. During the rummaging, it was found that, the seized gold bars were hidden under the engine bay camouflaged in a cloth bag.
During investigation it was revealed that, the apprehended boat allegedly received the contraband in Gulf of Mannar and was proceeding to Marakkayar Pattinam close to Mandapam. The seized items alongwith the fisher men and boat were handed over to the DRI for further investigations. Earlier in March 2020, in a similar oper ation Indian Coast Guard has recovered 15 Kgs of gold dumped from fishing boat at sea near Rameshwaram Coast.
The Indian Coast Guard has been maintaining enhanced surveillance in the Region and a number of successful anti-smuggling operations have been undertaken in the recent past in close coordination with other stakeholders. The successful operation reiterates Indian Coast Guard’s resolve for ensuring safe seas in the region through extensive surveillance for monitoring suspiciousactivities at Sea.
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PS/SK/12/2020
