Kerala Airports Bust Major Gold Smuggling Racket, 8 Kg Worth Rs 11 Crore Seized

In a major crackdown on organised gold smuggling, Customs authorities have seized eight kilograms of smuggled gold worth over Rs 11 crore from airports across Kerala during the past week, exposing increasingly sophisticated methods adopted by international trafficking networks.

According to Customs Commissioner T Tiju, officials registered 14 separate cases and arrested nine accused, including six residents of Kerala and three from Tamil Nadu. The seizures were made through coordinated surveillance and intelligence-led operations conducted at multiple airports in the state.

The Commissioner said the successful operations were carried out with the active support of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Kerala Police, highlighting the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling organised smuggling syndicates.

Officials noted that smugglers are now relying on highly advanced concealment techniques to evade security checks. Instead of carrying conventional gold bars, traffickers are increasingly converting the precious metal into gold paste or compound forms, making detection more challenging.

Investigators also found attempts to hide the contraband inside specially tailored garments, body cavities, aircraft seats, and other unconventional locations designed to bypass airport screening systems.

To counter these evolving tactics, Customs formations across Kerala have significantly strengthened passenger profiling, intelligence gathering, risk assessment, and coordination with enforcement agencies. Authorities believe these enhanced measures have played a crucial role in detecting recent smuggling attempts before the contraband could enter domestic markets.

Tiju reiterated that Customs remains committed to safeguarding the country's economic interests by preventing the illegal movement of precious metals. He said officers would continue to enhance surveillance and deploy intelligence-driven operations against organised criminal networks.

Investigations are underway to identify the masterminds, financiers, and international syndicates believed to be orchestrating the smuggling operations. Officials expect further arrests as evidence gathered from the recent cases is analysed, while enforcement agencies continue tracking the wider network involved in the cross-border gold trafficking racket.