New Delhi: Indira Gandhi International Airport has witnessed 52 times more gold seizures in the financial year of 2013-14 as compared to 2012-13, while the yellow metal is being smuggled via newer and innovative methods.
The Customs department at IGI Airport said that it has seized 352 kilograms of gold between April 1, 2013 and March 31, this year. Three hundred and sixty-three cases of gold seizures were registered during this period. The gold that was to be smuggled into the country was worth Rs 98 crore.
In the financial year of 2012-13, the Customs had seized 6.8 kilograms of gold at the airport that was worth Rs 1.5 crore. The seizures were lesser in 2011-12, when the Customs had recovered 2.1 kilograms of gold worth Rs 0.6 crore.
Sources in the Customs department at the airport said that the ratio of seized versus unseized gold is 1:12, which is an indication to the amount of gold that is illegally hitting the Indian markets. The data has been collected from the department.
There have been several attempts to smuggle gold at IGI Airport this year. The Customs department caught 10 Afghan nationals, including nine women, on March 16 this year for allegedly trying to smuggle 38.4 kilograms of gold. The seized gold is worth Rs 10.6 crore, which has been the highest seizure this year from a passenger at IGI Airport.
19/04/14 Shaurya Karanbir Gurung/The Tribune
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
The Customs department at IGI Airport said that it has seized 352 kilograms of gold between April 1, 2013 and March 31, this year. Three hundred and sixty-three cases of gold seizures were registered during this period. The gold that was to be smuggled into the country was worth Rs 98 crore.
In the financial year of 2012-13, the Customs had seized 6.8 kilograms of gold at the airport that was worth Rs 1.5 crore. The seizures were lesser in 2011-12, when the Customs had recovered 2.1 kilograms of gold worth Rs 0.6 crore.
Sources in the Customs department at the airport said that the ratio of seized versus unseized gold is 1:12, which is an indication to the amount of gold that is illegally hitting the Indian markets. The data has been collected from the department.
There have been several attempts to smuggle gold at IGI Airport this year. The Customs department caught 10 Afghan nationals, including nine women, on March 16 this year for allegedly trying to smuggle 38.4 kilograms of gold. The seized gold is worth Rs 10.6 crore, which has been the highest seizure this year from a passenger at IGI Airport.
19/04/14 Shaurya Karanbir Gurung/The Tribune
