Some days ago, officials with the Air Intelligence Unit of the Air Customs at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) seized two gold wires cleverly concealed inside the central frame of a trolley bag.
The gold, weighing about 716.400 grams, was seized while examining a passenger who landed here from Dubai. Thinking that the passenger should be carrying more gold, officials subjected him to a thorough search, but to no avail.
Customs officials say that recently they had come across several cases in which attempts were made to smuggle only a small amount of gold. They suspect that it’s a new trend where the rewards do not seem to match the costs and risks involved.
“The rationale behind this new trend is a mystery. We also suspect it to be some kind of a diversionary tactic,” says S. Anil Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Customs, CIAL.
Smugglers are still relying on old techniques such as concealing gold in electronic and electrical equipment, or moulding it in the form of belt buckles, suitcase handles and beading.
Officials are also pointing to a trend in which gold rackets in Koduvally and Kasaragod are deploying carriers from locations across Kerala. “This has rendered the location-wise profiling of passengers almost ineffective. For instance, we have not intercepted even a single carrier from Kasaragod this year,”says another senior official.
They say the racketeers might be deliberately reducing the quantity of gold considering the risk involved in employing innocent first-time carriers. Further, the profit margin of gold has slumped considerably owing to the price fluctuations in international as well as domestic markets.
Customs officials say since they have intensified surveillance on those landing from destinations including Dubai, gold smugglers are now sending carriers via other routes, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
As per official estimates, Customs sleuths seized 19 kg of gold during the January-May period, and effected about 10 seizures over the two months following it.
