Goa, July 5 -- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties valued at Rs.34.12 crore as part of its investigation into a transnational gold smuggling racket allegedly involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao. Officials said on Friday that Rao and her associates orchestrated a sophisticated network to smuggle foreign-origin gold into India with the help of Dubai-based suppliers, hawala operators, and corrupt airport officials.

Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of a senior police officer, was intercepted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport while carrying 14.213 kg of 24-carat gold concealed in her luggage. The seized gold was valued at Rs.12.56 crore. Subsequent searc...