Man held with 30 smuggled gold bars in Manipur

Imphal : The anti-smuggling wing of Manipur's Customs Directorate on Monday arrested a man along with 30 gold bars, an official said.

The arrested smuggler has been identified as Mohammad Yashim of Sangai Yumpham Mayai Leikai in Thoubal district.

Assistant Commissioner of the Customs Directorate R.K. Dorendrajit told reporters the accused had been handed over to the police along with the gold bars for necessary action.

Dorendrajit said: "We got intelligence inputs that an international smuggler is likely to transport god bars smuggled from Myanmar to some other parts of the country. We laid traps along the two national highways the smuggler and his associates could use."

The suspect walked into the trap on Monday at 9.30 a.m at Khurai Lamlong market in Imphal East district. He was likely to travel along NH 2 that passes through Nagaland and Assam.

According to the official, the value of 30 gold bars weighing five kg is estimated at Rs 1.5 crore in the local market.

Dorendrajit said that the variety of gold originating from Myanmar was in great demand in some states.

In the recent past, several smugglers were nabbed at the Imphal international airport who had stuffed gold bars in their rectums.