The EC also seized 12.7 lakh liters of alcohol with a market value of Rs 33.86 crore. (Representative)
Calcutta:
Gold, drugs, alcohol and miscellaneous goods worth around Rs 140 crore and over Rs 7 crore in cash have been seized in West Bengal since the dates for the Lok Sabha elections were announced this month, an officer said on Saturday.
According to data released by the Election Commission, the amount of cash seized till Saturday was around Rs 7.87 crore.
The EC also seized 12.7 lakh liters of alcohol with a market value of Rs 33.86 crore, he added.
“Drugs weighing around 3.5 kg worth Rs 18.28 crore were also seized,” he said.
The poll body also seized the yellow metal worth Rs 27.32 crore during this period, the official said.
“So far, we have also seized goods worth around Rs 36 crore and the total seizure is worth Rs 147.19 crore, including unaccounted cash,” he added.
There has been a trend for years where money and alcohol are offered to buy votes.
The Election Commission has declared six Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal as ‘financially sensitive’.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Police seized around 15 kg gold bars worth Rs 82 lakh and arrested five people traveling in a vehicle during a naka check in Jorabagan area in the city’s north on Friday, an officer said.
Initial investigation revealed that the gold bars were smuggled from neighboring Bangladesh through the border area of North 24 Parganas district, he added.
“It appears that these gold bars were smuggled through the Bangladesh border. We are trying to find out whether the consignment was meant for an agent who was part of a gold smuggling racket in Calcutta or not,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by WhatsNew2Day staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)