Two persons were arrested on Wednesday on charges of smuggling 477 pieces of rough diamonds valued at Rs 26.50 lakh in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district.
Mahasamund Superintendent of Police Prafull Kumar Thakur told The Pioneer over telephone that Fakir Meher (46) and Dibyaranjan Behra (30), both from Odisha, were carrying the diamonds.
On receiving a tip that the two were headed towards Bagbahra on a motorcycle from Odisha with rough diamonds, a police team swung into action, he said.
The team intercepted the two on National Highway-53.
Police seized the diamond pieces weighing 219.4 carat and valued at Rs 26.50 lakhs.
They told police that they illegally brought the diamonds from Behradih-Payalikhand, a diamond-belt in neighbouring Gariaband district, and were trying to sell them in Mahasamund, the officer said.