Customs officials at the Cochin International Airport have seized 3.225 kg of gold worth ₹1 crore over the past one week.
According to the officials, the passengers used various modes of concealment like hiding in rectum, shoes, inner wear, etc, as well as in semi-solid paste form to smuggle the contraband. The seizure effected during the period included 1,140 grams of gold from a Kozhikode resident, who arrived by an Air India flight from Dubai on Saturday.
The metal was concealed in semi-solid paste form, filled in a polythene cover and strapped on to the waist of the passenger. The recovered gold was valued at ₹35,79,600.
Commenting on the rising gold smuggling to Kerala, Sumit Kumar, Customs Commissioner in Kochi, said gangs from Kasaragod had been storming the country’s airports with their innovative bullion smuggling skills.
“Due to the high demand for gold in Kerala, the gangs from Kasaragod are using multiple teams of smugglers to bring the yellow metal from Dubai and other sensitive stations using new and unique methods of concealment. For each kilo of gold smuggled in from Dubai, the operator and financier makes a neat ₹3 lakh or more, of which he would spend up to ₹1 lakh on the carrier for air travel, lodging and commission. With these kind of profits, we in Kerala Customs have a tough task catching these Kasaragod smugglers,” Mr. Kumar said.
