NIA arrests key accused in ₹9 crore gold smuggling case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested a Rajasthan man wanted in a case related to the seizure of 18.56 kg of gold bars, being smuggled from Saudi Arabia, at the Jaipur airport in 2020, an official said.

The gold bars with a market value of more than Rs 9 crore were seized while being smuggled from Riyadh as part of a criminal conspiracy to smuggle gold into India to derail the country's economic security and monetary stability, the agency said.

Mohabbat Ali, a resident of Rajasthan, was the most wanted accused in the case and had been on the run since September 2020. A Red Corner Notice (RCN) and a Look Out Circular (LOC) were issued against him, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.