Page 41 - DRI ANNUAL REPORT EBOOK

The Mizoram-based gold smugglers are also part of China-Myanmar smuggling networks.
The free movement regime between India and Myanmar allows people along the border to travel up to 16 km on either side without visa restrictions. As the two countries are not hostile neighbours, presence of border forces is sporadic along a boundary that’s demarcated but unfenced. Finally, there is the difficult terrain which the locals do not find hard to negotiate.
The recent trends show smuggling of gold through the sea route and the notable cases include the seizure of 14.5 Kgs of gold by the Chennai Zonal Unit of DRI in mid sea between Manali Island and Maraikayarpattinum of Tamil Nadu on 03/04.03.2020. The officers of the DRI, with the assistance of Indian Coast Guards, retrieved the said gold which had been dropped by the smugglers in mid-sea, fearing interdiction of the contraband. In yet another case, the Chennai Zonal Unit of the DRI seized 23 kgs of gold smuggled from Sri Lanka which was to arrive at Kottaipattinum coast in Tamil Nadu.
The smuggling of gold in the containerised cargo has been detected by the Mumbai Zonal Unit of the DRI. The DRI officers, in March-April, 2019, seized 110 kgs of gold which had been smuggled into India by way of concealment in containers declared to contain brass scrap.
The smuggling of gold by concealment in human body (rectum), electronic item etc. has also been noticed. The DRI has seized gold in the form of paste at several airports across the country. Such cases include seizure of 2.05 kgs of gold at the IGI Airport by the Customs and 4.4 kgs gold seized from 7 passengers at LGBI Airport Guwahati on 09.01.20120, by the DRI, Guwahati Zonal Unit. The smuggling of gold in passenger baggage has been noticed and at Trivandrum International Airport on 13.05.2019, the DRI recovered
24.9 kg of gold from the hand baggage of a passenger.
The smuggling of gold under export promotion schemes like Advance Authorisation and the Exhibition Re- import, was also noticed. The noticeable cases include a seizure of 102 kgs of gold jewellery, bars, dust booked by the DRI HQ on 24.04.2019.
A peculiar trend has been observed where increasing number of foreigners are found to have indulged in gold smuggling. In a case booked on 22.10.2019 by the DRI HQ, 22 kgs of gold concealed in imported RO parts, were seized which involved a Taiwanese National. In another case, 5 kgs gold was seized by the DRI, DZU, which had been smuggled in a courier consignment belonging to a Korean National.
India’s gold demand in Jan-Sep, 2020 slipped 5% on a year-on- year basis, to 496 tonnes, the World Gold Council said in a report. The mining body has trimmed its estimation for India’s gold demand in 2020 to 700-750 tonnes from 750-850 tonnes projected earlier, vis-a-vis the demand of 760 tonnes in 2018. Owing to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the grey market is somewhat subdued now but the propensity to smuggle gold still remains very high.
The desperation of the gold smugglers in the face of effectiveness of DRI is evident from two recent separate incidents- one in Kerala and the other in RajasthanIn September, 2020 the smugglers tried to ram over their vehicle on to DRI officers outside the Calicut Airport, yet the team apprehended the smugglers and seized smuggled gold despite getting hurt. In September, 2020 the officers of DRI were fired at by the smugglers near Jodhpur, however, the team displayed bravery in apprehending the smugglers and effecting seizure of gold.
SMUGGLING IN INDIA REPORT 2019-20 7
GOLD