NEW DELHI: Customs authorities in India have apprehended two passengers with smuggled gold worth Rs 6.1 million ($100,000) at Indra Gandhi International airport.
The passengers were coming to Delhi from Abu Dhabi and were caught with gold bars weighing a total of 2.32 kg while trying to pass through the green channel. According to customs officials, in a routine procedure, their baggage was checked which did not reveal anything inappropriate.
However, when their body was searched 19 gold bars and one gold chain hidden in different pockets of their clothes were revealed.
Ever since government raised customs duty on gold import from 20-10 per cent, gold smuggling has seen exponential rise. In the last year authorities across the country seized gold worth over Rs 5.65 billion. This is a five-fold increase over figures of previous fiscal year. The seizures are actually tip of the iceberg and actually smuggling is over 10-20 times higher.
