3 kg gold bars smuggled in from Sri Lanka seized

Acting on a tip-off, that gold was being smuggled from the island nation by a man posing as a passenger, the DRI officials detained Mohammed Ali Jinnah at Pallavaram bus terminus, an official release here said. 

The arrest was effected there as all roads were choked following the violent protests as a fallout of the eviction of pro-jallikattu protesters from various areas, an official said. Jinnah told DRI officials that 3.097 kg gold valued at Rs 91.98 lakh was concealed in his bag. 

A search revealed two crude gold bars of 24 per cent carat purity. He was charged with violating the Customs Act, 1962. The release said Jinnah was subjected to detailed questioning to ascertain the nature of smuggling of gold along the Indo-Sri Lanka border through the Tamil Nadu coast.

Jinnah admitted that he had acted as a courier on many occasions in the past to carry gold for monetary considerations.