Attempts to smuggle 36 kg gold in five months, majority of accused from Malappuram and Kozhikode

MALAPPURAM: Gold smuggling attempts, bypassing customs officials, are on the rise in Karipur airport. The police have seized 36.67 kilogram gold worth about Rs 18.87 crore within the past five months. Often, police are able to seize gold acting on tip-off provided by rival smuggling gangs. However, the smuggling that goes unnoticed by the customs and police are many times higher. The gold smuggling can be reduced only if the smugglers are caught from the airport itself. As gold is being smuggled in highly specialized ways, there has been a demand to arrange more facilities and systems for the customs to detect them. There is shortage of employees in the customs too.

Even murders, if necessary

According to figures, the police have arrested a total of 42 people in 43 cases from February till June. Most of the accused are natives of Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, said the police. 25 vehicles have also been seized. Murders have also taken place in the name of gold smuggling. An expatriate and Palakkad native, Abdul Jaleel, who had worked as a gold carrier, was thrashed to death only two months ago. A dispute over some smuggled gold had resulted in the murder. There are also people who get caught at airports as they fail to check the packets, given by acquaintances to pass it on to their family and friends, while returning home from abroad. Many a time, such packets would contain gold and those who get caught will have to spend their lives in jail. Expatriates should be careful of such frauds, warned the police.

Estimates of gold smuggling in five months

Police case – 43

Gold seized – 36.3 kg

Amount – Rs 1,88,371,493

Vehicles seized – 25

Number of accused - 42