In a first, 108 kg gold biscuits seized near defined China border in Eastern Ladakh, two locals arrested

In the biggest ever anti-smuggling operation by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the agency unearthed an Indo-Sino smuggling operation and seized a massive quantity of gold. ITBP jawans busted the smugglers' gang and seized over 108 kg of gold smuggled from China near Sirigaple, Ladakh.

According to the ITBP officials, the agency received a specific tip-off, based on which jawans of the 21st Battalion launched a Long Range Patrolling (LRP) operation along the border areas in the Southern sub-sector in Eastern Ladakh on Tuesday, July 9. The patrol was conducted in the general area of Chismule, Narbula Top, Zakle, and Zakla to check infiltration as well as smuggling. Such illegal activities try to pick up pace around this season. ITBP had received credible inputs of smuggling in the area near Sirigaple, Ladakh.

A team headed by Deputy Commandant Deepak Bhatt came across two suspicious persons with mules in Sirigaple, about one kilometre from the international border around 1:30 PM. The patrol party accosted them and took them to the camping area of the suspects. Initially, they claimed that they were collecting medicinal plants. But on conducting a search, the ITBP team found a huge quantity of gold and other contraband. Both the suspects were taken in custody and seized their belongings were seized.