CHENNAI: In a joint operation with Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Customs Preventive Unit (CPU), Ramanathapuram, DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) seized 4.9Kgs of foreign origin gold at mid sea near Mandapam, Ramanathapuram district on Friday.

Based on a specific tip off that foreign origin gold is being smuggled into India from Srilanka through the Vedhalai coast in Ramanathapuram district by a gang using fishing boat, DRI sought the help of coast guard.

Accordingly, officers of DRI and ICG mounted surveillance over the movement of suspected fishing boats at Vedhalai Coastal area near Mandapam on the intervening night of 3rd and 4th April.

During the early hours of April 4 (Thursday), the officers identified a suspected boat at mid sea and chased the same in a ICG vessel and intercepted it.

"Just before the point of interception, the officers noticed that a consignment was thrown in the sea by one of the persons onboard the suspected boat, " stated an official release.

There were three persons onboard the boat and during interrogation they admitted that the consignment thrown in the sea consisted of foreign origin gold smuggled from Sri Lanka and it was received from a boat from Sri Lanka.

On Friday afternoon, the smuggled gold was retrieved after extensive search operation at sea bed.

On opening the consignment retrieved from the sea bed, it was found that crude gold bars of different sizes totally weighing 4.9Kg with valued Rs3.43 crores was tightly packed in a towel and thrown inside the sea to avoid detection.

The three persons on the boat have been apprehended and are being interrogated.