Six arrested with illegal gold

Siraha, January 12

Police today arrested six persons with gold jewellery from Ghurmi Khola on the border between Golbazar and Mirchaiya municipalities along the east-west highway in Siraha.

A police team from Siraha-based Armed Police Force Battalion-7 made the arrestees public with 1, 757 gram illegal jewellery. Police also seized Rs 34, 000 from them. The arrested have been identified as Amirul Khan, Mohammad Kayum, Mohammad Riyaz Raine, Mohammad Hakim Raine, Mohammad Rahaman Raine of Lahan Municipality, Siraha and Mohammad Afroz Raine of Khadak Municipality, Saptari.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team deployed from Armed Police Force Border Security Office, Siraha, under the command of Superintendent of Police Som Bahadur Gurung arrested the smugglers. Police said six bracelets weighing 50 gram each was seized from them.  SP Gurung said that the arrested, a Scorpio van, along with the seized gold, had been sent to Itahari-based Department of Revenue Investigation for further investigation.

Meanwhile, Amirul, the van driver, said that an unidentified person had requested them to carry the gold to Lahan. He, however, refused to reveal whom he was supposed to hand over the illegal gold. Police said gold smuggling continued unabated in the district despite the crackdown.