American diamonds, foreign goods worth Rs 1.34 cr seized

Chennai, Jun 30 (UNI) In one of the biggest seizures, the Docks Intelligence Unit (DI) seized 2.7 lakh pieces of white and coloured American Diamonds (Zirconia Stones) and foreign goods worth Rs 1.34 crore at the Chennai Port Container Terminal today.

According to a release from the Commissioner of Import Customs, based on specific intelligence, officials at freight station intercepted a consignment from Malaysia containing cartons stuffed in a container and carried by M V Tiger Bridge from Port Klang.

The consignment was booked in the name of Khader Nainar Jumma Khan of Ilyangudi and declared as personal and household items.

On opening the cartons, the officers found consumer goods of foreign make including shampoos, soaps, food items, milk and biscuit tins.

As some biscuit tins of famous brands were found to be unusually heavy, the officials opened them only to find black packets concealed in the biscuits.

The packets contained a total of 2.7 lakh pieces of white and coloured, cut and polished zirconia stones of Signity and Durofurg brands with an estimated total value of Rs 1.26 crore. The value of the consumer goods was Rs 7.9 lakh.

Khan, who returned to India after a four-year stay in Malaysia, told his interrogators he had sent his used and household goods to India through his agent before his departure.

DI officials suspect the involvement of agent who sent the consignment to Chennai through MV Tiger Bridge.

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