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On July 9, the Indian Border Frontier Police arrested two Indians in the southern region of Eastern Ladakh and seized 108 kg of gold from them. The two suspects attempted to smuggle gold into India. The police seized Chinese-made food from the suspects. | Image source: X/@ITBP_official
On July 9, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) arrested two men for allegedly smuggling 108 kg of gold biscuits from China near the China border in Eastern Ladakh. While smuggling of small items is common, the arrest of two locals is the first time an alleged gold smuggling gang has come to light in the region. Another person has been detained, an ITBP official said.
The suspects were intercepted by an ITBP team which was on a long-range patrol in the Southern Sector (SSS) border area of eastern Ladakh to check infiltration and smuggling, especially in areas around Sirigapur in Ladakh.
Codename: jazz The shells were fired on July 7 and 8 respectively from any direction on the SSS, a well-defined border unlike other parts of eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where Indian and Chinese troops have been facing off since May 2020.
A team led by Deputy Commandant Deepak Bhatt intercepted two suspects carrying mules within a kilometre of the Chinese border in the ad hoc areas of Chismule, Narbula Top, Zakle and Zakla districts.
“After being stopped, the suspects tried to flee but the patrol team chased them and reached the place where they had pitched their tent. Initially the suspects said they were collecting medicinal plants but later the patrol team found a huge amount of gold and other items,” said ITBP Inspector General Clay Khongsai. He added that this was the biggest gold smuggling case ever uncovered by ITBP.
The suspects were identified as Tsering Chamba (69) and Tenzin Targy (40), residents of Hanle ITBP, and binoculars, Chinese food items such as cakes, milk, knives, mobile phones, two ponies and 108 gold biscuits, each weighing 1 kg, with the words “Gulf Gold Refinery” printed on them were seized from the suspects.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of India has authorised ITBP to conduct searches and seizures and under the ITBP Act, ITBP is empowered to exercise customs powers at the border to check smuggling activities. The suspects will be interrogated jointly by the police, Intelligence Bureau, Customs and ITBP. The seized items and suspects have been handed over to the officials of the Customs department for further interrogation and necessary action as per the provisions of the law.
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