AMRITSAR: The lure of significant returns and the high demand for gold have resulted in a nearly twofold increase in gold smuggling from Gulf countries to Punjab even as the smuggling kingpins have now begun recruiting couriers or low-wage workers including women from these countries to smuggle the yellow metal into Punjab in exchange for meagre compensation.
Joginder Singh, Joint Commissioner, Customs, infomred on Tuesday that the Customs department had seized a total of gold worth Rs 784.49 lakh during the financial year 2022-23 whereas from April onward in the current financial year, they had already seized gold worth Rs 745.55 lakh which indicates at a significant and concerning rise in gold smuggling activities.
