NEW DELHI: Gold smuggling through airports increased in three years to 2014-15 and the government seized Rs 429.84 crore precious metal till mid-November this fiscal at different aerodromes in the country, Parliament was informed today.
“There has been an increase in gold smuggling through airports in the period 2012-13 to 2014-15. Seized and confiscated gold is sold through auction and State Bank of India,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
The minister said smuggled gold and jewellery worth Rs 429.84 crore was seized as of November 15, 2015 at various airports in the current fiscal year.
In 2014-15, seizures were worth Rs 832.08 crore; Rs 557.83 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 102.36 crore in 2012-13.
Jaitley said gold smuggling in the country has been detected from nations such as Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, France, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the UAE and the UK.