Over 1.10 Quintal Silver Biscuits Worth Rs 1 crore Seized During Smuggling Bid
Acting on a routine check for ganja smuggling, an excise department team intercepted the vehicle and discovered the silver concealed in a specially designed secret chamber
Bhubaneswar: In a major haul, silver biscuits weighing over 1 quintal 10 kilograms and valued at more than Rs 1 crore were seized from a car near Rengali Tehsil Office Square in Sambalpur district on Thursday.
Acting on a routine check for ganja smuggling, an excise department team intercepted the vehicle and discovered the silver concealed in a specially designed secret chamber. The car, reportedly en route to Ranchi, was stopped and searched, leading to the recovery.
Two persons have been detained in connection with the seizure, while an investigation is underway to trace the source and intended recipient of the consignment. Officials suspect the involvement of an organised smuggling racket and are verifying whether any valid documentation existed for transporting the precious metal.
The seized silver biscuits were subsequently handed over to the officials of the goods and services (GST) personnel for further investigation.
Dishonest businessmen often clandestinely indulge in smuggling of silver biscuits so as to avoid GST which they believe eats away a major portion of the profit. In the past, the GST officials had made many such seizures.
