India sees a rush of smuggled gold

India has witnessed a sudden spurt in gold smuggling from abroad with customs officials seizing yellow metal worth over Rs 188 crore at various airports across the country till June this year.

While the highest number of cases this year was registered in Mumbai after seizure worth over Rs 42 crore from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, airports in Kerala remained the next hotspots of smuggled gold worth over Rs 31 crore.

The department of customs in Mumbai registered as many as 290 cases of gold smuggling after seizures at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. However, only 57 people could be arrested on recovery of the smuggled item from their possession.

Customs sleuths in Kerala seized smuggled gold worth over Rs 11 crore from the Cochin International Airport in a total of 116 cases, but could arrest only 14 people on charges of smuggling.

A total of 135 cases were registered after seizure of smuggled gold worth over Rs 16 crore at the Calicut International Airport. Again, only 14 could be arrested for the crime. The Trivandrum International Airport saw recovery of smuggled gold worth over Rs 4 crore in a total of 30 cases while the number of arrests was 11. While the customs department recorded a total of 93 cases, with recoveries worth over Rs 141 crore at various airports in 2015-16, the number of such cases went up to 60 in 2016-17 and 143 in the fiscal 2017-18.

The seizure of smuggled gold in 2016-17 was valued at over Rs 64 crore (Rs 6453.45 lakh to be precise) and over Rs 227 crore (Rs 22721.54 lakh) in 2017-18.

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi has been the third spot, after the international airports in Mumbai and Kerala, where the customs officials seized high value smuggled gold in various cases.

The department of customs registered a total of 109 cases of gold smuggling in 2018 (till June) and arrested a total of 123 persons after recovery of the yellow metal worth over Rs 46 crore from their possession.

The customs sleuth in Karnataka this year seized smuggled gold worth over Rs 4.46 crore at Mangalore International Airport and registered a total 25 cases. The Kempegowda International Airport saw seizure of smuggled yellow metal worth over Rs 16 crore in in 16 cases.

Authorities could arrest just one person each in connection with the Mangalore International Airport gold smuggling cases and those at the Kempegowda International Airport.

India levies 10% custom duty on import of gold.