Rajkot: A courier van carrying 74 kg of silver, 330 grams of gold, and nearly ₹79 lakh in cash was seized by police in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh while it was on its way to Rajkot, Gujarat, raising fresh concerns about suspected smuggling routes linked to the city.

According to Thandla police, the van, bearing registration number UP 93 CT 9721, was intercepted following a tip-off about the illegal transportation of narcotics. Instead, police found hidden compartments inside the vehicle containing precious metals and cash with no valid supporting documents.

The van, marked with stickers of “Alok Express Parcel Service Private Limited,” had started its journey from Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) and was headed to Rajkot, police sources confirmed. Three men — Kailash Babulal Rayakwar (from Datia), and Rajesh Rayakwar and Ajay Gupta (both from Jhansi) — were arrested at the spot. During questioning, the accused claimed that the consignment belonged to a Jhansi-based trader named Alok Harishankar Agrawal.

What makes the case intriguing for Rajkot authorities is the suspicion that this wasn’t an isolated consignment. Police suspect that similar unaccounted goods may have been routed to Rajkot earlier using courier vans and possibly duplicate number plates to dodge checks. During inspection, officers also found a hidden sticker with an MH-12 (Pune) RTO code under the van’s Jhansi number plate, pointing to deliberate attempts to mask the vehicle’s real identity.

Following the seizure, Thandla police have filed reports with the Income Tax and GST departments for further investigation into possible tax evasion and money laundering. Rajkot police are also likely to coordinate with Madhya Pradesh authorities to trace the intended recipients and any local handlers of the consignment. DeshGujarat