Rise in gold smuggling at Vizag Airport

Visakhapatnam: Gold smuggling cases are on the rise during the past three years at the Visakhapatnam Airport. The customs department alerted their officers with the arrest of Sri Lankan national Abdul Razak who smuggled gold by inserting them in his abdomen and rectum. During the past three years, the customs officials recovered Rs 10 crore worth gold from the passengers in Visakhapatnam. The department also booked cases against 84 persons who were caught while smuggling the gold at Visakhapatnam Airport.

“The smuggling of gold in electronic gadgets, shoes and toys are old practices. Now the passengers are using their abdomen and rectums to bring the gold illegally. According to sources, the gold business in north Andhra region and parts of Odisha has been increasing. Some of the traders are bringing the yellow metal illegally by using agents. Though the practice is danger still the smugglers are choosing the human bodies,” a senior official of Visakhapatnam Customs Commissionerate told The Hans India.

While observing the ways and means of the gold smuggling at the Visakhapatnam International Airport, the customs department procured advanced equipment to check the suspected air passengers. After the launch of international flights from Visakhapatnam to Colombo, Bangkok, Dubai and Singapore, the smuggling cases are increasing in the airport.

“We caught Abdul Razak and recovered 347 gms of gold. Recently, we caught three female passengers of Sri Lanka who arrived from Colombo and seized 740 grams gold. Even drugs also could be smuggled in the similar manner. Hence, the department would procure advanced equipment to check smuggling in the airport,” the customs official said.