Patna, June 13 (IANS) The Excise Department of Kishanganj carried out a major operation on Friday and seized 5.5 kilograms of silver coins from a passenger bus near the Faringgola check-post on National Highway 27, located on the Bihar–West Bengal border.

One individual has been detained in connection with the case.

According to officials, the seizure was made following a tip-off about the illegal transportation of silver.

Acting swiftly, the Excise team launched a drive at the Faringgola check-post and recovered the silver coins from the luggage of a bus passenger.

The estimated market value of the recovered coins is around Rs 6 lakh.

The accused has been identified as Abhishek Kumar Chaurasia, a native of Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.

He has been taken into police custody for further interrogation.

During preliminary questioning, the accused revealed that the silver was being transported from Siliguri to Kishanganj, where it was to be delivered to a person named Sunil Chaurasia.

He admitted to receiving between Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000 for each delivery.

Importantly, he could not produce any receipts or documentation for the silver in his possession.

Excise Superintendent Devendra Prasad of Kishanganj confirmed the operation, stating, “We recovered 5.5 kg of silver coins during a raid on a passenger bus. As the individual could not provide any valid documents for the silver, he was detained and handed over to the police for further action.”

Authorities are now investigating whether this is part of a larger smuggling racket operating across state borders.

The Kishanganj Police have registered an FIR in this matter, and further investigation is underway to find out the handlers in Siliguri, Kishanganj and Ballia.

The district police officials believe that this could be a small part of an interstate smuggling racket of gold and silver ornaments in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal regions.

–IANS

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