Guwahati, June 30 (IANS) Assam Police have seized around 37 kg of gold, estimated to be worth nearly Rs 55 crore, in a major operation in Guwahati and arrested one person in connection with the recovery, officials said on Tuesday.

The accused has been identified as Akshay Bhansore, a resident of Maharashtra’s Sangli district. A case has been registered at Latasil Police Station, and further investigation is underway.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sambhavi Mishra said the recovery was made during a police operation based on specific inputs. The seized gold has been taken into custody and is being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.

According to the preliminary probe, Bhansore had travelled from Maharashtra and had been residing in the Gandhi Basti area of Guwahati for the past two years. Police suspected that he was acting as a courier entrusted with transporting gold consignments from one location to another.

Police are now trying to establish the ownership of the seized gold and determine the purpose for which it was being transported. Officials said investigators are examining the accused’s financial records and communication logs to identify other persons who may be linked to the operation.

The probe is also focused on tracing the source of the gold, identifying its intended recipients, and ascertaining whether the seizure is part of a larger interstate gold-smuggling network. Police have not ruled out further arrests as the investigation progresses.

The seizure is one of the largest gold recoveries by Assam Police in recent times and comes amid intensified enforcement against organised smuggling and illegal trade networks operating across the Northeast. Senior police officials said intelligence-based operations against organised crime, including gold and narcotics smuggling, have been stepped up across the state.

The authorities are coordinating with other investigative agencies to verify the origin of the seized consignment and uncover the wider network behind its movement. Officials said further details would emerge as the investigation advances.

–IANS

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