Kochi: Customs has seized smuggled gold to the tune of 1296 kilogram through the four international airports of the state within a period of 5 years, show reports.This smuggled gold is worth Rs 574.12 crore and the figures are till June 2020.
The Customs revealed these figures through an RTI reply. RTI activist M K Haridas said these figures were handed over after filing several appeals, including approaching the Delhi office. Kozhikode airport seems to be the favourite for the smugglers going by the amount of gold seized. 591.7 kilo of gold was seized from here. Smugglers also find Nedumbassery a good haven as 500 kg of gold was illegally brought through this. 153.16 kg was brought through Thiruvanathapuram airport and 51.21 kg through Kannur airport, as per the RTI report.
Besides airports, the customs seized 230.43 kg of gold between 2015 and June 2020 in the state.
Gold seized in 4 airports
| Year |
Kochi (KG) |
Kozhikode | TVM | Kannur |
| 2015-16 | 100.86. | 85.36 | 12.38 | - |
| 2016-17 | 29.88 | 13.25 | 15.5 | - |
| 2017-18 | 66.14, | 79.13 | 10.31 | - |
| 2018-19 | 151.91 | 176.52 | 48.21 | 3.55 |
| 2019-20 | 110.41 | 234.99 | 66.44 | 47.12 |
|
2020-21 (Till June) |
41.58 | 2.46 | 0.29 | 0.544 |
