Editor’s Note
This report details a significant seizure of smuggled gold, jewellery, and cash from a residential flat in Ahmedabad. The operation, conducted by the Gujarat ATS and DRI, underscores the ongoing efforts to combat high-value financial crimes and smuggling networks.
Meghkumar Shah, a Mumbai-based share-trading businessman, had rented a flat in Ahmedabad to store smuggled gold, jewellery, and cash. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) found 107.583 kilograms of gold and jewellery, 11 luxury watches worth over 100 crore rupees, and cash in the flat.
Meghkumar Mahendra Shah, who lives in Mumbai and runs a share-trading business, rented a flat in Ahmedabad to hide smuggled foreign gold, jewellery, and cash. Meanwhile, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) raided the flat and recovered 107.583 kilograms of gold and jewellery, 11 luxury watches worth over 100 crore rupees, and 1.37 crore rupees in cash. The DRI has seized all these items by issuing a panchnama and taking legal action.
Gujarat ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police S.L. Chaudhary received information that a large quantity of gold smuggled from abroad was being hidden in an Avishkar Apartment in the Paldi area of Ahmedabad.
After informing the DRI, they jointly raided the flat on Monday afternoon. Gujarat ATS chief Sunil Joshi informed about this raid in a press conference yesterday and said:
During the search of this flat, 87.920 kg of gold-brass, 19.663 kg of jewellery, and 11 watches of different brands worth a total of over 100 crore rupees and 1,37,95,005 rupees in cash were found. Out of the 87 kg of gold-brass, 52 kg of gold-brass had foreign markings.
The information was received about three days ago and on Monday afternoon, around twenty personnel from the DRI and ATS team raided the flat.
When relatives of Meghkumar present at the spot were asked about the suspicious items found during this raid, they could not produce any evidence, so the suspicious items were seized by the DRI, Ahmedabad Zonal Unit.
Meghkumar’s sister told the agency during the raid that Meghkumar is associated with the share-trading business and currently lives in Mumbai.
11 luxury watches were found, including a diamond-studded Patek Philippe watch, a Jacob & Co. watch, a Franck Muller watch, and jewellery studded with diamonds and other precious stones. Seeing this, the investigating officers and staff were also surprised.
A large quantity of gold bars were recovered from the flat.
These watches were studded with real diamonds.
