Rs 54 Crore Gold Haul: Assam Police Bust International Smuggling Racket

 Assam Police has carried out the biggest gold seizure in its history, recovering over 37 kilograms of suspected smuggled gold worth more than Rs 54 crore during a major operation in Guwahati.The operation was conducted by the Special Operations Group in the Kharghuli area after receiving specific intelligence inputs. During the search, police recovered 37.064 kilograms of suspected gold, 13 grams of silver, four mobile phones, Rs 3,755 in cash, and bags allegedly used to conceal the consignment.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central), Amitabh Basumatary, said, "This is the largest gold seizure ever made by Assam Police. Acting on credible intelligence, our team intercepted the consignment and successfully recovered the suspected smuggled gold."Police arrested 32-year-old Akshay Bansode, a resident of Sangli in Maharashtra who had been staying in Guwahati's Gandhibasti area. A case has been registered at Latasil Police Station, and the accused has been remanded to police custody for further investigation.DCP Basumatary said, "The accused failed to produce any valid documents to establish the legal ownership or transportation of the gold. We are investigating the source as well as the intended destination of the consignment."Preliminary investigation suggests the seized gold may be linked to an international smuggling network operating through the India-Myanmar border, with possible connections extending to the Middle East. Investigators have also found leads pointing towards a larger organised syndicate with links in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru.Speaking on the investigation, the DCP said, "Our probe indicates that this is not an isolated case. We are examining the involvement of a larger network and tracing the financial transactions, supply chain and all individuals connected with the racket."Police are now working to identify other members of the syndicate, trace previous consignments, and uncover the complete smuggling route. Officials said further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.