Gold up to 80 kg sneaks through Indo-Nepal border every day
According to Nepal Revenue Intelligence officers, gold smuggling acts have become rampant at its borders with India
NEW DELHI (Scrap Monster): According to Nepal Revenue Intelligence officers, gold smuggling acts have become rampant at its borders with India. As per rough estimates, 60 kg to 80 kg of the precious metal enters India through the porous borders on a single day. There has been no respite in gold smuggling acts, despite intensified checks and night patrolling by customs officials.
Nepal has also emerged as a preferred smuggling route for the golden metal. Most of the gold comes from Hong Kong and Thailand. The gold consignments are then shifted to storage houses across the border. The human couriers then make several trips carrying small quantities of gold which makes them difficult to trace by authorities. The carted gold is then collected and shipped to jewellers in nearby Indian cities.
During the past one month period, customs and police have arrested large number of smugglers and have seized huge quantities of gold. More number of such incidents was reported from Raxaul and Motihari in East Champaran district. The smugglers admitted that they could earn approximately Rs.2 lakh on smuggling one kilogram of gold across the border.
In the wake of rising smuggling acts, the customs authorities have decided to step up preventive measures to check gold smuggling. The Chief Commissioner, Customs & Excise, Patna reviewed the functions at border check posts. After series of deliberations with customs officers, it was decided to launch an anti-smuggling drive in the bordering areas in coordination with GRP, RPF and police.
The official gold imports by India have dropped to their lowest levels in recent times. However, the increasing gold demand in the country is being met mainly by smuggled gold. With Intelligence cops imposing special gold scans at country’s airports, smugglers have switched to land routes.
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