A team of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested a syndicate of seven foreigners, including four women for allegedly trying to smuggle out foreign currency worth over Rs 6 crore while they were proceeding to board a flight to Hong Kong at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.
According to DRI officials, the recovery of foreign currency was made from their checked-in baggage. “During the checking the forex was found tightly wrapped in towels to escape detection by security and intelligence agencies at the airport,” said official.
“All the currencies were in the denomination of USD 100. A total of around USD 8.9 lakh, having market value of Rs 6.14 crore, was seized,” it said.During interrogation it was revealed that the foreigners arrested were part of an international syndicate involved in smuggling of foreign currencies. “The mastermind of the syndicate is sitting in the Hong Kong, who arranged carriers and sent them to India with gold bars through concealment. The syndicate had members in India and Hong Kong. The syndicate never repeated the carriers to avoid attention of the customs authorities in India,” said official.
Giving details about their modus operandi the official said that in India, a person used to collect the gold and give foreign currency in return which used to be smuggled out of India back to Hong Kong.
Official said that a father and his daughter were among the seven foreigners and they all are natives of Taiwan. later, an Indian accomplice of this smuggling syndicate was also arrested by the DRI. “In all eight people, including seven foreigners, have been arrested in the case,” said the official.