Hyderabad: People working in the Gulf countries are the easy target of smugglers, who lure them with commission according to the value of the gold they carry.
A majority of the carriers hail from the undivided Karimnagar followed by Nizamabad district.
A recent seizure revealed that a person from the undivided Karimnagar district went to the Gulf a decade ago and started a company. He sends the contraband with his employees who are returning to their native place in India.
“Little is known about him other than his community details. He is never in the picture,” customs officials said.
The blue collar workers are their main targets. When the employer refuses to pay the air fare, the organiser lures them with the money for the air fare and ask them to smuggle gold. In some cases, the consignment is given as a gift to relatives who will collect it on arrival.
“In some cases, the carriers are not actually aware that they are smuggling gold,” the official added.
The fine includes 36 per cent of the total value of the gold with 20 per cent penalty.
Gold seizures
April to August 2017: 49 cases; 20.8 kgs of gold worth Rs 6.25 crore seized
April to August 2016: 10 cases; 5.5 kgs of gold worth Rs 1.57 crore seized
Out of 24 cases registered at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in August and September 2017, 10 carriers are from undivided Karimnagar district​.
