Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport have detained an American national of Indian origin after seizing 115 gold bars weighing a total of 3.5 kg. The individual allegedly concealed the contraband in a specially designed belt. The seizure took place on May 15, following an increase in Customs duty on gold from 6% to 15%, which has led to a rise in gold smuggling attempts.
According to a statement from senior Customs officials, this significant seizure reflects an escalation in illicit activities. “With the margin of profit per kilogram skyrocketing, international syndicates appear to have shown heightened desperation by deploying increasingly complex concealment methods,” the statement noted.
Acting on intelligence gathered through risk-based passenger profiling, officers from the Air Intelligence Unit intercepted the passenger in the international arrival terminal when he attempted to evade checks by using the green channel. Upon conducting a search, officials discovered the 115 gold bars hidden in the inner pockets of the passenger’s trousers and within the specially crafted belt.
The seized gold bars are of 24-karat purity (999.9) and weighed a total of 3,565 grams. Customs officials stated that the gold was being smuggled into India as contraband and was seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. The passenger has been arrested under Section 104 of the same act.
The situation highlights ongoing challenges in controlling gold smuggling, particularly as market conditions continue to evolve.
