NEW DELHI: After a lull of almost two years when flights across the globe were grounded due to lockdowns, India has witnessed a sharp rise in gold smuggling in the last few months. Sources in the revenue intelligence and the customs said that the spike is also fuelled by the increase in demand of the metal due to wedding seasons which generate 50 per cent of annual gold demand in India, as per the World Gold Council.
While a major portion of the seized consignments in the month of October had their origin in the UAE, September witnessed a number of gold seizures from the North eastern states. One of the largest hauls of the season, however, has been in the month of September when 121 kgs of gold were captured during 11 instances of interception. The metal was being smuggled through the north-east borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
DRI sources said that the attempt to smuggle in the metal was made through Champhai –Aizawl in Mizoram to Kolkata, West Bengal by concealing them in vehicles in different compartments. “The seizures indicated a spurt in smuggling of gold through porous NE borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar, which have been used in the past as well.
Consequently, extra vigil has been mounted to thwart all attempts by smugglers deploying ingenious ways of getting their work done,” an official of the revenue intelligence said. In the month of October, authorities intercepted individual carriers who were making smuggling bids though various airports using innovative means.
SEIZURE OF GOLD
September
The month witnessed a massive haul by the DRI where 121kgs of gold was confiscated. The metal was smuggled through the north-east borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar during 11 instances of interception
October
9.895 kg of gold valued at K5.20 cr were hidden in a belt with several pockets strapped around the carrier’s chest and shoulder.
In another case, the smuggler travelling from Sharjah had hidden 1.875 kg of gold dust in packets
Officials at Kochi airport intercepted a native of Kollam travelling from UAE who had attached gold strips on his slippers.
Another native from Palakkad who arrived from Dubai was nabbed for smuggling gold attached to his pants’ zip