India: Two passengers from Dubai held at Delhi airport for gold smuggling

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Two passengers travelling from Dubai were arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi for allegedly smuggling 1349 grams of gold.

The two Indians were intercepted by the Customs officials after their arrival at the Delhi airport on Saturday, May 18.

Taking to X, Delhi Customs said the passengers were arrested on the basis of intelligence inputs. The confiscated gold is worth Rs 85.57 lakh (nearly Dh 377,314).

According to Indian Customs, the maximum duty-free gold that male passengers returning to India from abroad can carry in the form of jewellery or bars is 20 grams (up to Rs 50,000). Anything beyond the limit will be subject to customs duty. For female travellers, the limit for duty-free gold is up to 40 grams (Rs 100,000).

The weight of gold (including ornaments) should not exceed 1 kg per person, the rules of Indian Customs state.

According to the World Gold Council (WGC), gold smuggling in India rose by 33 per cent to 160 tonnes in 2022, largely due to the rise in import duty from 7.5% to 12.5%.