Gold was the highest smuggled item in 2015-16
Gold continued to be the highest smuggled contraband seized by central agencies across the country in 2015-16, according to Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) data. The all-India value of gold seizure was ?795.5 crore during this period, it added. Further, the seizure of narcotics was highest in 2015-16, compared to the previous three financial years.
Mumbai, Jan 10 (PTI) Gold continues to be the highest smuggled contraband seized by central agencies across the country in 2015-16, though there had been a dip in seizure compared to the previous year, according to DRI. As per the data released by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), in the fiscal ending 2015, the all-India value of gold seizure was Rs 1119.11 crore (which comprises seziures worth Rs 274.80 crore by DRI alone ) while in the last fiscal it was Rs 795.5 crore (Rs 240 crore by DRI). DRI and other central agencies also seized Rs 36.87 crore in foreign currencies and Rs 6.85 crore in Indian currency and fake Indian currency notes of face value of Rs 2.72 crore, in the last fiscal. Seizures of currencies in all the three categories increased compared to previous two years. The seizure of narcotics was highest in 2015-16, compared to the previous three financial years. The all-India seizure of narcotics (which included seizures by DRI and other agencies such as Customs) was Rs 510.17 crore, of which Rs 365.56 crore worth seizures were of DRI alone, in 2015-16. The seizure of narcotics in 2013-14 was 451.98 crore (of which Rs 209 crore was by DRI) while in 2014-15 it was Rs 290.59 crore (including Rs 102 crore by DRI). The data also show that there was a drop in smuggling of vehicles, vessels and aircraft in the last fiscal (Rs 131.31 crore) as compared to 2013-14, when it was the highest as seizures stood at Rs 472.89 crore. In 2014-15, the figure was Rs 62.66 crore. 