The police have arrested six gang members for allegedly stealing steel bars from construction suppliers in Maharashtra`s Palghar district, officials said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI.

Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted the accused on Tuesday while they were transferring steel bars from two trucks into a tempo in the Vasai area, they said.

The consignment was being transported from a company in Wada to a firm in Nalasopara when the accused tried to steal it, reported PTI.

“We immediately set up a trap and caught the accused red-handed while they were transferring the material into a tempo,” Vasai crime unit`s senior police inspector Aviraj Kurhade said, reported PTI.

The police seized stolen steel bars weighing 1,200 kg, valued at around Rs 60,000, four mobile phones and some cash from the accused, he said.

Those arrested included a steel trader and three drivers, the police added.

Gold smuggling racket busted in Mumbai, Rs 15 cr yellow metal seized; 11 held

In another case, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a gold smuggling syndicate, seizing the precious metal valued at Rs 15 crore and arresting 11 persons, including the “mastermind”, officials said on Wednesday, reported PTI.

Preliminary investigations suggest a well-planned conspiracy to smuggle gold into India and sell the refined metal in the grey market, violating import rules and evading government revenue, according to an official.

DRI Mumbai Zonal unit had received information about the gold smuggling and melting syndicate being operated in Mumbai.

Based on it, DRI teams carried out simultaneous searches on Monday at four locations in the city, including two illegal melting units and two unregistered shops, reported PTI.

They found a fully functional unit, where smuggled gold was being melted and converted into wax and other forms like bars, the official said.

A total of 6.35 kg of gold was seized from the melting units, and those operating the furnaces were apprehended, reported PTI.

Follow-up searches at two shops linked to the “mastermind” led to the recovery of another 5.53 kg of gold bars, the official said, reported PTI.

In all, the DRI seized 11.88 kg of 24-carat gold valued at Rs 15.05 crore, along with 8.72 kg of silver valued at Rs 13.17 lakh, he said.

The 11 arrested persons comprise the “mastermind”, who is a known offender involved in previous smuggling cases, his father, a manager, four hired melters, an accountant, and three delivery persons, the official said, reported PTI.

All the accused have been produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.

(With inputs from PTI)

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