Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Assam Police made its biggest haul of smuggled gold after more than 37 kg of the precious yellow metal, worth over Rs 54 crore, was recovered from a Maharashtra-origin person in the Kharghuli area on the intervening night of June 29 and 30. He is suspected of being part of a network with international gold smuggling links to the Middle East and Myanmar, with domestic connections to Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangaluru.
This is the largest seizure to date by the Assam Police, with 37.064 kg of yellow metal biscuits, suspected to be gold, worth over Rs 54 crore, recovered in a single operation. The police also seized 13 grams of silver nodules/flakes.
Speaking to the media, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central of Guwahati Shambhavi Mishra disclosed the details of the operation that led to the record seizure. She said, "We recovered the gold from a person identified as Akshay Bansode, hailing from Sangli, Maharashtra, in the Kharghuli area of the city. He is a courier with a salary of Rs 80,000 per month and came to the city two months back. He stayed in the Gandhibasti area. In the past two months, he had successfully smuggled 20 kg of gold in three instances. This was the fourth attempt. He was standing in a remote location and appeared to be a beggar with a lame leg. There was no way anyone could suspect him of being otherwise. The gold was in bags wrapped in a bundle of gamosa and a blanket. He was waiting to hand it over to some other person. We arrested him and registered a case (42/2026) against him in the Latasil PS."
The DCP stated that there is a big network involved in smuggling gold into Guwahati. Bansode is suspected to be part of a network with international gold-smuggling links to the Middle East and Myanmar, as well as domestic connections to Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore. The Assam Police are launching a big investigation into the case in cooperation with other agencies, she added.
Along with the gold and silver, the police also seized 4 mobile phones, Rs 3,755 in cash, and bags used for concealment of the contraband.
The accused, Akshay Bansode, is in custody as no legal documents for the gold consignment were produced. The police are still investigating further links to unearth the full syndicate, past deliveries, and financial trails.