Gold Smuggling Resurges in Kerala: Authorities Strengthen Surveillance

Thiruvananthapuram: Gold smuggling activities in Kerala have witnessed a resurgence, particularly at the state's airports, following a brief decline. On Sunday, significant enforcement actions were reported by the Customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), who intercepted smuggled gold at both Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports.

In an official statement released by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate in Kochi, it was revealed that 360 grams of gold was seized from a passenger who arrived at Thiruvananthapuram airport. Officials highlighted an upward trend in gold smuggling cases, attributing it to the escalating prices of the precious metal.

Last week, authorities arrested two individuals at Thiruvananthapuram airport for their involvement in smuggling gold valued at Rs 1.6 crore across different incidents. Smugglers are continuously devising creative methods to conceal gold, including attaching it to their bodies or hiding it within their clothing. There have also been reports of gold being disguised as pearl or bead necklaces.

To combat these challenges, the Customs department emphasizes its steadfast vigilance and commitment to strengthening surveillance and enforcement measures across airports to thwart smuggling activities.

In a separate incident at Kochi airport, the DRI retrieved 630 grams of gold left abandoned on an aircraft on Sunday. Data from Customs indicates that between January and July of this year, 87 cases led to the confiscation of 40.6 kg of gold, assessed to be worth around Rs 32 crore across Kerala.

Officials attribute the earlier decline in smuggling to the Union government's decision to lower the import duty on gold from 15% to 6%. However, the recent uptick in smuggling is linked to rising gold prices. “The current surge in smuggling is driven by the hike in gold prices. A drop in these prices is likely to reduce smuggling activities,” a Customs officer stated.