Customs, intel agencies raise vigil to check gold smuggling

Suspecting an increase in gold smuggling, economic intelligence agencies have alerted field formations at all transit points including airports and international borders to remain vigilant. Customs officials are keeping extra vigil on both cargo and passengers arriving from the Gulf countries and other nations like Malaysia among others.

Officials of the directorate general of revenue intelligence (DRI), mandated to check smuggling and evasion of customs duty, are also scanning major deals of the precious metal by bullion traders across the country, they said.
"Of late, there has been many cases of gold smuggling. Customs and DRI officials have arrested people for allegedly trying to smuggle gold into the country. The officials posted at international transit points have been asked to keep extra vigil," a finance ministry official said.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs had earlier issued an alert to all field formations asking them to take extra measures to check gold smuggling, he said. Officers of the customs overseas intelligence network posted abroad have also been asked to keep a eye on consignments.

Finance minister P Chidambaram, while presenting the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, had said "passion for gold" was one of the factors for the surge in the current account deficit (CAD). The CAD in the first half of 2012-13 has been 4.6 percent of GDP. "The household sector must be incentivised to save in financial instruments rather than buy gold," he had said.

The value of gold seized by the customs department at the international borders during the April-October period in 2012 rose to Rs 50.02 crore from Rs 15.81 crore in the corresponding period in 2011.Cases of gold seizure during the last year include seizure of gold jewellery made from the passengers arriving from abroad. It also includes gold seized from importers for misuse of provisions of the free trade agreement.

Officials in air preventive unit of the customs had in December 2012 arrested a Karnataka-resident for allegedly trying to smuggle in over three kg of gold worth about Rs 85 lakh. In August, the officials had arrested two CISF men and three others for their alleged involvement in a gold-smuggling racket and seized over 10 kg of gold worth Rs three crore from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji airport.
In March 2012, about 250 kg of gold plates imported from Dubai worth Rs 68 crore were seized by DRI officials from the premises of a trading firm in Delhi and neighbouring Noida.