Gold seized at airports in the first 11 months of the ongoing financial year was 86% higher than the entire Covid-marred previous fiscal and near the pre-pandemic levels.
As much as 2,531.97 kg of gold was seized at airports and 3,614 cases of smuggling were registered till February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday in response to a Lok Sabha query. That compares with 1,939 cases and 1,239.87 kg of gold was seized in FY22, a year marked by travel curbs because of the pandemic. It's on track to hit pre-Covid levels by quantity.
In order to deter smuggling of gold and silver, the customs field formations and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence keep a constant vigil, according to the minister.
They take operational measures, such as passenger profiling with the aid of advanced passenger information systems, risk-based interdiction and targeting of cargo consignments, non-intrusive inspection, rummaging of aircraft and coordination with other agencies, Sitharaman said.
Sitharaman said on detection of cases of attempted smuggling, action was taken in accordance with law, and that included seizure and confiscation of smuggled gold or silver.
The authorities have even uncovered the involvement of cabin crew or airport staff in some cases of attempted smuggling of gold and legal action was taken against such persons, she said.
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