Customs officials at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad made yet another significant gold seizure on Monday. The officials confiscated 316.40 grams of gold from a passenger who had arrived from Dubai. The gold, valued at Rs 15.71 lakh, was cleverly concealed in a voltage up-down AC converter.
The passenger in question had disembarked from Flight FZ-439, which arrived from Dubai. The customs officials wasted no time in booking a case of gold smuggling against the individual. The airport has recently witnessed a series of gold seizure incidents, indicating the continuous efforts of the customs department to curb smuggling activities.
In a similar incident earlier this month, customs officials successfully recovered 7.3 kg of gold from four Sudanese passengers who had concealed the precious metal in their rectums. The group, consisting of two women, had arrived from Dubai on flight no AI 952. The gold, valued at approximately Rs 3.6 crore, was skillfully hidden and subsequently seized by the authorities.
Moreover, Hyderabad Customs recently handed over 25 kg of gold to the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL). This action follows the recent decision by the Finance Ministry, stating that seized or confiscated gold should be sold exclusively to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It’s important to note that this policy does not include gold ornaments or jewelry.
To formalize the process, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the RBI, and the SPMCIL. This agreement ensures the smooth transfer and sale of confiscated gold to the RBI, enhancing transparency and efficiency in the handling of seized assets.
The ongoing efforts by customs officials at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad demonstrate their commitment to combating illegal gold smuggling activities. These vigilant measures contribute to maintaining the integrity of the airport’s operations and preventing the unauthorized movement of valuable commodities across borders.
