![Manipur: Customs Foil Gold Smuggling Attempt, Three Women Apprehended](http://media.assettype.com/sentinelassam-english%2F2024-03%2F5dfb341b-1879-49bd-b353-5c627ebeb42b%2Fgold.webp?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
IMPHAL: The Customs Division in Imphal made a notable anti-smuggling move. They stopped three women heading from Moreh Bordertown to Imphal. The women were caught allegedly trying to sneak in semi-finished gold chains and bangles of foreign make. Their collective worth is Rs 27 lakh.
Customs officials spotted the supposed smuggling activity unexpectedly. They were inspecting a private van close to the Manipur University gate on Highway 102 in Imphal West district. All this went down on a Friday, with officials sharing the information on the next day, Saturday.
The haul was sizeable – eight semi-finished gold bangles and two chains. The golden lot weighed 415.10 grams in total. The items' market value is a whopping Rs 27,21,460. The alleged smugglers were Sunita Devi, Inderjeet Chouhan's wife, and their daughters Indu Kumari and Reshma Kumari. Their home is in Dalpatti, Moreh, found in Manipur's Tengnoupal district, which neighbors Myanmar down south.
The DPF Unit Imphal Customs Division seize the gold as the women didn’t qualify to bring so much gold under the related section of the Customs Act, 1962. This act lets the authorities check and control the import and export of goods, precious metals included. This is to stop crimes like smuggling.
The smuggled gold is now at the Customs Divisional Office in Imphal. It waits the next legal steps. A report against the alleged smugglers is filed, and the wheels of justice are in motion to decide what to do next.
This event shows customs officials' constant battle against illegal deeds, specifically smuggling valued items over borders. The success of thwarting the gold-smuggling operation underlines the need for strong border-control regulations to protect against these bad actions.
Their dedication to their principles shows in the Customs Division's actions. They're always on their toes, constantly conducting surprise scrutiny and probes. Following the legal course of this case is important.
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