Imphal: Three women passengers travelling from Moreh Bordertown towards Imphal were apprehended for wearing semi-finished gold chains and bangles of foreign origins worth Rs 27 lakh.
The anti-smuggling sleuths of the Customs Division Imphal detected the alleged gold smuggling in the forms of semi-finished eight gold bangles and two gold chains.
The detections were made during a surprise check on a private van near the Manipur University gate on the National Highway 102 in Imphal West district on Friday, officials said on Saturday.
The total weight of smuggling items is 415.10 grams with a market value of Rs 27,21,460.
The alleged smugglers have been identified as Sunita Devi wife of Inderjeet Chouhan, Indu Kumari & Reshma Kumari, daughters of Inderjeet Chouhan.
They are residents of Dalpatti, Moreh in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district bordering Myanmar on the south.
The gold has been seized because they are not eligible to bring this much quantity of gold under the relevant section of the Customs Act, 1962, an official of the DPF Unit Imphal Customs Division said.
The seized gold consignment was formally placed at the Customs Divisional Office, Imphal for further legal proceedings. A case has been registered.