Nagpur, Aug 9: In continuation of its operation against smuggling of precious metals, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized gold worth over Rs three crore from a train passenger at Nagpur in Maharashtra, officials said on Sunday.

Upon receiving a tip-off that gold, smuggled across the India-Bangladesh border, was being transported further by train, a DRI Nagpur team conducted an operation at Nagpur Railway Station and detained a passenger.

An official statement said that the passenger was arrested with 2.165 kg of gold. The estimated value of the seized gold is reported to be Rs 3.09 crore.

According to the intelligence received, the gold had been smuggled into India via the India-Bangladesh border. DRI officials subsequently learned that the gold was to be transported to its next destination by an individual travelling on the 12102 Dnyaneshwari Express.

Acting on this information, DRI Nagpur officials laid a trap at Nagpur Railway Station. The passenger was searched upon his arrival at the station, during which the concealed gold was discovered.

Officials have seized 16 gold bars from the accused passenger.

Recently, the DRI carried out a series of operations and arrested 20 accused, including five foreigners, seizing foreign-origin gold, heroin, MDMA and other contraband, an official said.

The seized articles included hydroponic weed, red sanders, prohibited wildlife products, e-cigarettes, foreign-origin poppy seeds and areca nuts, the DRI said in a statement, adding that around 9.5 kg of gold valued at around Rs 14 crore was seized and nine accused were arrested.

The arrest of 20 accused, including five foreign nationals, involved in smuggling and trafficking activities and exposed sophisticated concealment techniques employed by organised criminal syndicates, said the statement.

Sharing details of gold seizures, the DRI said that on July 29, two foreign nationals who had arrived from Dubai were arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, leading to the seizure of 40 foreign-origin gold bars weighing 4 kg from cavities in their baggage.

In separate operations conducted jointly by DRI and Border Security Force personnel along the Indo-Bangladesh border, officers seized around 3.2 kg of foreign-origin gold, said the DRI.

New Delhi, Aug 8: East District Police has apprehended seven African nationals, including five Nigerians and two Ghanaians, during a special drive against overstaying foreign nationals in Delhi. The operation was carried out by the Special Staff and Anti-Narcotics Squad (ANS) in the jurisdiction of Pandav Nagar police station through Intelligence-based verification and field enquiries.

According to police, all seven foreign nationals were produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Delhi, after completion of the necessary documentation and verification process. FRRO has issued Restriction Orders against all seven individuals under the relevant provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

Pending further legal proceedings, their movement has been restricted to Sewa Sadan, Lampur, Narela, Delhi. Deportation proceedings have also been initiated in coordination with the FRRO.

Police said the action was part of a special campaign launched to identify and verify foreign nationals residing illegally in the district after the expiry of their visas or immigration permissions. Dedicated teams of the Special Staff and ANS intensified Intelligence gathering, conducted discreet field enquiries, and verified available records to identify suspected overstayers.

The Special Staff team, led by Inspector Jitendra Malik under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Pawan Kumar, apprehended four foreign nationals from the Pandav Nagar area on August 4. They were identified as Osita Nkemen (54), a Nigerian national; Ngota Cynthia (38), a Nigerian national; James (25), a Ghanaian national; and Livy Otughana (27), a Ghanaian national.

During verification, Ngota Cynthia was found to have a previous criminal case registered against her. Police said she is an accused in FIR No. 48/2021 under Section 22 of the NDPS Act registered by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru, and the matter is currently pending before a court. Further legal action in her case is being taken as per law.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Narcotics Squad, headed by Inspector Arun Kumar and working under the supervision of ACP Pawan Kumar, conducted verification drives in Smaspur Village, Patparganj, under the jurisdiction of PS Pandav Nagar. The operation led to the detention of three Nigerian nationals identified as Kelechi Cornelius (32), Okechukwu Solomon (36), and Chukwudi Alison (43).

Police said the names of Kelechi Cornelius and Okechukwu Solomon were already reflected in the list of overstaying foreign nationals maintained by the authorities concerned.

Following verification of their immigration status, all seven individuals were detained and produced before FRRO. Restriction Orders were subsequently issued, and the deportation process was initiated in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure.

East District Police said it remains committed to the strict enforcement of immigration laws and will continue Intelligence-based verification drives to identify overstaying foreign nationals and take appropriate legal action in coordination with FRRO and other concerned agencies.

Bengaluru, Aug 8: Bengaluru police have launched a special drive, ‘Operation Mukta’ on Saturday, to identify and track illegal immigrants allegedly residing in different parts of the city, with raids and verification exercises being conducted across several localities, officials said.

As part of the drive, police teams have conducted searches and document verification in Whitefield, Kadugodi, Mahadevapura and other areas. The three localities are part of Bengaluru’s major technology corridors and are home to several multinational IT and biotechnology companies.

Sydulla Adavat, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Whitefield division, said the special drive was launched across the city on the directions of the Bengaluru Police Commissioner.

“As per the orders of the Police Commissioner, Bengaluru, the special drive has been taken up across the city, including the Whitefield DCP division. More than 500 police personnel and officers are involved in the exercise. The drive will continue,” he said.

According to the DCP, police teams have already tracked several suspected illegal immigrants, and some have been deported to their respective countries following due legal process.

“Verification is being conducted at more than 30 locations falling under various police station limits in the Whitefield division. If anyone is found suspicious, we will verify their documents. If we find identity cards of another country or any other clues indicating that they are foreign nationals residing here without authorisation, the matter will be brought to the notice of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO),” Adavat said.

He added that once deportation orders are obtained from the competent authorities, further legal action would be initiated and the illegal immigrants would be sent back to their respective countries.

As part of the exercise, police are checking identity and other documents of people suspected to be residing in the city without valid authorisation. Police sources said the focus is particularly on suspected Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas.

The police are also verifying Aadhaar cards and voter identity cards of suspected persons, as officials suspect that some foreign nationals may have obtained Indian identity documents through the assistance of local handlers.

Police sources said more than 50 persons have been tracked during the ongoing exercise, while the identities of four Bangladeshi nationals have been established. Those without proper documents are being subjected to further verification.

The police have also turned their attention to temporary sheds and other makeshift accommodation rented out to migrant workers.

DCP Adavat said some local residents allegedly construct sheds and rent them out to construction workers who come to Bengaluru from other states and districts. Police suspect that some unauthorised foreign nationals may also be residing in such premises along with migrant workers.

“We will initiate action against those facilitating such unauthorised stay,” the DCP said.

The police said the verification drive will continue across the city and that further action will be taken based on the documents and evidence gathered during the exercise.