TOKYO: Japan’s customs authorities seized a record 6,236 kilograms of gold smuggled into the country in 2017, government data showed Friday.
Gold smuggling has been on the rise since Japan raised the consumption tax from 5 percent in 2014.
The number of gold smuggling cases handled by the authorities jumped 66 percent to 1,347 from 811 in 2016, the Finance Ministry said in its report.
In 94 percent of the total cases, or 1,270, air travelers tried to smuggle 4,779 kg of gold. Most of the smuggled gold came from South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan last year.
Alarmed by a recent surge in the number of gold smuggling cases, Japan has been stepping up customs inspections and is planning to impose stricter penalties on perpetrators.
The possession of gold, in itself, is not illegal, which authorities believe helps lower the psychological barrier for smuggling.
According to the Finance Ministry data, the number of smuggling cases stood at 12 in 2013 but surged to 119 in 2014.
