Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials arrested a smuggling gang and seized more than 13 kg of gold being brought from Sri Lanka off the Rameswaram coast.

The authorities, as part of coastal surveillanace, intercepted and searched a bus at Pattinamkaathan check post and seized 7.36 kg of gold from a passenger.

Based on such seizures earlier, DRI officers concluded that it would be the same gang and kept a watch on the next consignment.

The sleuths interecepted two persons moving in a suspicious manner in Rameswaram and recovered gold bars weighing 6.4 kg.

The value of the total gold seized is estimated at Rs 4 crore. DRI has arrested three smugglers in this operation remanded them in judicial custody.

A senior official from DRI said that in the last three financial years, officials have seized about 210 kg of gold valued at nearly Rs 59 crore smuggled through the coastal route from Sri Lanka.