DRI nabs Rajkot based Patel brothers for 350 kg gold smuggling

Rajkot: Patel brothers here were earning Rs 1.30 lakh per kg gold smuggled from Dubai by selling it in Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Jamnagar markets.

Rajkot based Patel brothers would import machinery parts(valve) in which gold would be inserted in the shape of dish. It would be covered with black film and color to evade the vigil of scanning machine. Suvh valves were couriered from Dubai to Rajkot via Mumbai.

First such consignment was merely 500 gram in weight. Later only in the month of December, three consignments were cleared measuring 49 kg, 16 kg and 40 kg.

Patel brothers Milan and Gautam are at presently questioned by DRI in Mumbai. DRI is in search of commission agent Raju. DRI is also after hawala payment channel through which payment was made to Dubai.

On Thursday night, DRI officials seized 15 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore from courier cell at international airport in Mumbai. 15 kg gold was concealed inside the machinery parts(valve). It was found that earlier 350 kg gold worth Rs 105 crore was smuggled using same manner by Patel brothers based in Rajkot.

Patel brothers had cleared 21 consignments in last six months and managed to clear them at courier cell in Mumbai.

Milan Patel has revealed that he had started Metro Gold and Diamond Jewellery firm in Dera area of Dubai above RAK bank. Milan had first exported super quality copper to India by concealing it in valves. Later one Pakistani citizen Hanif had given him idea how to conceal gold and export it to India. Milan would procure gold from Africa and bring it to Dubai. He would later with the help of Hanif melt it in shape of dish and fit it in valve machinery parts. Milan’s brother Gautam in Rajkot would import rejected machinery parts(valve) from Dubai through his company Induction Furnace and Runs Champion Exim Company.

DeshGujarat