Gold Smuggling Rises with Onset of Festive Season

Official Import Low Due to Non Tariff Barriers

Four women have been detained for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valued over Rs 3.5 crore at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA)

All of them were intercepted the other day by customs officials on their arrival here from Dubai in separate flights.

The value of the gold is assessed to be Rs 3.64 crore.

Investigation in the case is continuing and these women will be arrested after completion of necessary formalities, the official said.

Madurai

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials, who seized 32kg gold worth Rs 8.42 crore from the Madurai International Airport on Saturday suspect that smuggling activities have been taking place in the terminal for long and the involvement of insiders, may not be ruled out.

Saturday’s haul was the biggest at the Madurai airport and the raid was based on specific inputs from sources.

Incidentally, Abdul Alim of Ilayankudi in Sivaganga district, who was caught for trying to smuggle 247 star tortoises to Kuala Lumpur via Sri Lanka, had told forest officials that some insiders at the airport were supposed to help him smuggle the endangered species.

DRI officials said the insiders also informed the smugglers beforehand that a checking was taking place and to escape arrest, a suitcase containing more than 23kg gold was abandoned under a seat in the flight.

“Not necessarily customs officials are involved. Even officials from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) or airport crew can also be involved in the racket. We, however, do not have enough evidence to pinpoint anyone,” another DRI official said.

2 Held for Smuggling Gold Worth Rs. 67 Lakh at Delhi Airport

Two men have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valuing about Rs. 67 lakh at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).

The customs officials have seized about 2.6 kgs of gold in three incidents of smuggling reported within past one week.

A passenger was intercepted on Sunday by the customs after his arrival in Delhi from Dubai. “Detailed examination of his baggage resulted in recovery of gold weighing 1040 gms (about one kg) having market value of Rs. 27.19 lakh concealed in transformer of the amplifier,” a press release issued on 5 October by the customs said.

In another incident, two men were intercepted by the customs officials last Monday after their arrival in Delhi from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.

The detailed examination of one of the passengers resulted in recovery of 912 gms of gold which was concealed in his rectum and in a music system being carried by him. The value of gold is assessed to be Rs. 22.49 lakh, it said.

Another passenger, who had arrived from Dubai had concealed 655 gms of gold in toys being brought by him. The value of gold, which was seized, is assessed to be Rs. 17.61 lakh, the release said, adding that the flyer in this case has not been arrested.

Two passengers have been arrested in these cases of smuggling at the airport in which gold weighing 2.6 kgs and valued at Rs. 67.30 lakh has been seized.