Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai. Three to four decades ago, i.e. in the seventies and eighties, the underworld was active and was in news for gold smuggling. Tons of gold were smuggled into India from various countries by sea, mainly to avoid taxes on gold. But now this route has changed from sea route to air route. Over the past few years, the increase in gold import duty has led to an increase in smuggling of gold through airports. According to the data provided by the authorities, the Mumbai airport has been ranked number one in gold smuggling in the last 10 months. Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai airports are also the most preferred routes used by smugglers to smuggle gold. Sources said that although smuggling has increased through airport routes, efforts are being made to curb it. But mainly Customs and DRI became active and increased vigilance so that more and more smugglers including foreigners and Indians could be caught red*handed with gold. Smugglers always choose different methods of smuggling and use new ideas and methods. But how to crack the racket and bust the racket is the work of the agency.
According to data provided by sources, between April 2022 and February 2023, around 604 kg of gold was seized at Mumbai airport, 374 kg at Delhi airport, 304 kg at Chennai airport and 91 kg at Kozhikode airport. In one of the biggest seizures so far this year, the DRI on January 23 seized 37 kg gold worth Rs 22 crore and cash of Rs 2.32 crore from Kalbadevi Jewellers, who hid the precious metal inside the consignment in a machine motor vehicle. In November last year, the Air Intelligence Unit investigated the smuggling of 53 kg of gold worth Rs 28 crore at the airport and arrested Neeraj Kumar.
Smuggling rackets busted in many cities
In 2020-2021, the first post-Covid year, gold smuggling subsided and rackets were busted with 150 kg at Chennai airport, 146 at Kozhikode airport and 88 kg at Delhi and 87 kg at Mumbai airport. Most of the smugglers traveling through the airport are Indians, but this has changed in the last few operations. Some Nigerians, Sudanese and UAE nationals were caught by the investigative agencies along with the women. Smuggling of gold helps him get it at cheap prices. In 2022, the government increased the import duty on gold from 7.5 percent to 12.5 percent to curb rising imports. With an additional 3 percent GST, consumers pay 18.45 percent tax on pure gold.
The most common method used for smuggling
'Winning Bizness' here tells you about the most common method used for smuggling. Mostly, gold is hidden in toys, shoes, machine parts, luggage linings, trolley bags, shoes and specially designed belts, computers and mobile phones, in flight washrooms, under seats and even in body crevices. Besides, Smuggling of gold is carried out in liquid form of gold and dust. In the form of gold powder mixed with iron and potassium. Passengers going on sponsored trips abroad keep gold hidden in their luggage and the weight ranges from 1 kg to 5 kg. Some young needy women are paid to be trafficked and asked to travel.
