There has been a sharp increase in the seizure of gold in the Tiruchi Customs Preventive zone, comprising the Tiruchi Customs Commissionerate and Tuticorin Custom House during 2013-14.
The zone has registered a record seizure of 83.18 kg of gold estimated at Rs. 25.92 crore during the year. Twenty-five arrests were made during the year as part of the anti-smuggling drive. During 2012-13, about 2.9 kg of gold, estimated at Rs. 1.06 crore, was seized, K. Anantha Padmanabhan, Chief Commissioner, Customs, Tiruchi, said in a press release.
The zone has achieved a revenue of Rs. 2,453.76 crore surpassing the target of Rs. 2,235 crore for 2013-14. This includes a revenue of Rs. 1,788.94 crore from the Tuticorin Custom House and Rs. 664.82 crore from Tiruchi Customs Commissionerate. Sterlite Industries, Chemplast Sanmar, and Coastal Energy Pvt. Ltd., were the major contributors to the revenue in the zone.
A container scanner will be commissioned soon at the Tuticorin Custom House as part of the infrastructure development and capacity building measures, the release added.