Gold worth millions seized in three smuggling bids on UAE-Delhi routes

Three recent gold smuggling attempts from the UAE to India have been thwarted by customs officials at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi. The largest seizure involved 6.5kg of gold, valued at approximately Dh3.8 million. Eight passengers were arrested and remanded into judicial custody following the haul. Smugglers attempted to conceal the gold using various methods, including painting it with silver and black paint and hiding it in trolley bag linings, passengers' socks, and disguised as silver chains.

Customs officials intercepted passengers arriving from Sharjah and Muscat, seizing smaller quantities of gold concealed as wire linings in trolley bags and hidden in socks, respectively. India, as the world's largest consumer of gold after China, recently raised import tariffs on the precious metal to curb demand, reduce the trade deficit, and stabilize the currency. This move has impacted the grey market and organized players in the gold trade.