Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu:
Nearly 15 kg contraband gold, in the form of nuggets valued at Rs 4.29 crore, was seized today by Revenue Intelligence Officials and two persons were arrested in this connection near Aranthangi in Tamil Nadu's Pudukottai district, police said.
Following a tip-off about gold being smuggled, police stopped two persons riding a motor cycle near Kottaipattinam check post and found them carrying 34 gold nuggets, packed in "soft drink bottles", police said.
The bottles containing gold were seized and the duo, H Nazir Ali and N Mohammed Abdul Kalam Azad, were arrested.
Assistant Director, Parthiban, who led the DRI squad, said they had sought the help of the Coastal Marine Police and the Coast Guard to prevent smuggling of gold through coastal roads.
"It is easier to curb smuggling activities in the road than in the seas," he said.
Those who helped the smugglers to transport contraband goods would also be arrested in the future and cases would be filed against them, he warned.