Gold smuggling through airports is Customs’ laxity: Kerala CM
Chief Minister Vijayan also informed the Governor that there is laxity on the part of the Customs Department in checking gold smuggling at airports.
Customs officials deployed at Delhi and Chennai Airports have succeeded in seizing smuggled gold worth over Rs. 2 Crores and booked nine people involved in smuggling of gold.
According to a Customs official, the Chennai Customs Officials seized three kilograms of gold worth Rs. 1.33 Crore on November 8 from two passengers. These passengers were intercepted randomly for checking by Chennai Customs Officers, after they arrived from Muscat by flight number WY 0253.
During the search of their baggage, gold strips weighing about 3 Kg and valued at Rs. 1.33 Cr found concealed in the outer lining of their trolley suitcases. The said gold was seized under Customs Act and both the passengers were arrested by Customs Officials.
While in two different cases at Delhi Airport, the officials of Customs department seized gold in the form of bangles and gold paste.
In one case, an Indian passenger arriving at Terminal-3 of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport from Muscat by flight number Al 974, was intercepted by Delhi customs officers for checking. During the search of the baggage, 355 grams of chemical gold paste concealed inside eighteen Eclairs Milk toffees was recovered and seized.
In another case, six Indian passengers, arriving at IGI Airport from Madinah-Muscat by flight number WY 0678 were booked under Customs Act for their involvement in smuggling gold. 14 gold bangles weighing 1152 grams with total value over Rs. 51 lakhs were recovered.
During the interrogation, it was revealed that the seized bangles were to be handed over to a handler, waiting outside the T-3 of the Airport. Acting on the tip, the handler was arrested from outside the terminal under Customs Act.
Further actions are being taken in these cases.
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