Sambalpur, Oct 16: Silver weighing around 1.66 quintal was seized in Odisha from a car bearing Maharashtra registration number en route to Ranchi, said the CT-GST department on Wednesday.
Three persons have been arrested in this connection with seizure of the vehicle.
According to reports, excise officials had launched a drive to inspect vehicles on Sambalpur-Jharsuguda Biju Expressway at Rengali in Sambalpur district on Tuesday acting on a tip-off about ganja smuggling.
While the special team was checking vehicles from outside states, the excise sleuths found huge quantity of silver stashed in a secret compartment behind the rear seat of a car bearing Maharashtra registration number and informed the CT-GST officials.
An enforcement team of CT-GST reached the spot and recovered the huge quantity of silver weighing around 1.66 quintal taking three occupants of the car into custody. They revealed that they were going to Ranchi.
The seized items included silver anklets, glasses, other ornaments and a bag of pearls.
Deputy commissioner, GST Tekchand Meher said the market value of the seized silver is yet to be ascertained.
“The three detainees were interrogated but they could not provide any satisfactory answer regarding their possession of the silver and also could not produce any supporting document,” Meher added.
