Customs officials seize nearly 6kg gold hidden in car seat compartment

Customs authorities in Visakhapatnam have uncovered a sophisticated gold smuggling operation, recovering approximately 5.83 kilograms of gold valued at Rs 8.98 crore from a hidden compartment in a vehicle.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted the car during a late-night highway inspection on the intervening night of October 8-9. Acting on intelligence inputs, officials conducted a thorough search of the vehicle and discovered the gold concealed beneath the front passenger seat in a specially constructed secret cavity.

The elaborate concealment method, involving a compartment built into the vehicle's interior, indicates a pre-planned smuggling attempt. Such hidden compartments are commonly used by smugglers to evade detection at checkpoints and borders.

Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the operation, and investigations are ongoing to determine the source and intended destination of the contraband gold. The seizure marks another significant bust in DRI's ongoing efforts to combat gold smuggling, which remains a persistent challenge in India's coastal regions.