CHENNAI: The sleuths from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Saturday arrested a man with 10.5 kg gold worth Rs 6.3 crore in the city.

The arrested was identified as Zahir Hussain of Mannady. He was on his way to deliver the gold in paste form to a melting unit when the DRI team intercepted him.

DRI sources said that the gold was of Dubai origin smuggled via Sri Lanka by various flights. DRI believes that he is part of the well-oiled network of gold smugglers and he gets all the gold sneaked out of the airport.

He would take gold received in paste and power forms to the melting unit as ordered by his bosses, and deliver the molten gold to jewellery shops to make jewels’ sources said when asked about his modus operandi.

So far, this year the DRI has seized nearly 25 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore.

Though customs and DRI have been arresting gold smugglers on regular basis the agencies find it tough to detect gold being smuggled in powder or paste form as their scanners fail to indicate gold in other forms.