In Surat, a multi-agency raid related to a massive Rs 25 crore gold smuggling operation has resulted in the suspension of a key police officer and the detention of three individuals. Agencies involved in the crackdown include the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Customs Department, and the Income Tax Department.
The accused, which include the now-suspended Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Parag Dave, were allegedly part of an intricate gold smuggling racket operating out of the city's airport. PSI Dave, who is the primary target of the DRI, is believed to have been the key link between the smugglers and the recipients of the gold. Investigators suggest that he disposed of his SIM card to disrupt the investigation, as most of the incriminating communication occurred via social media.
Reports indicate that a middleman from Bharuch ordered the smuggled gold, which was later intended for a jeweler. The smugglers, lured with the promise of a 2-5% cut, were apprehended immediately after their flight landed. Following the incident, Surat's Police Commissioner suspended PSI Dave and transferred the investigation to Crime Branch DCP Rupal Shah.
According to a Customs official, numerous areas within the airport, like the turning point near the aerobridge which lacks CCTV coverage, serve as hiding spots for the smuggled gold. Gold can be concealed in seemingly innocuous objects, like mobile covers or even under passenger seats using magnets or adhesive tape, to be retrieved later by complicit staff members.
Based on current baggage rules, smuggled gold attracts up to a 38% duty. This means that the government has potentially lost Rs 23 lakh ($30,000) per kilogram of gold smuggled. With an estimated Rs 25 crore in smuggled gold discovered, and rumors of up to Rs 100 crore having been previously smuggled in this manner, the lost duty could amount to roughly Rs 38 crore ($5.1 million). Additionally, the smuggling operation may have dodged an estimated 7.5% in GST, further defrauding the government.
As the investigation unfolds, it has become clear that this operation was multifaceted, with the accused reaping benefits from evasion of duty, GST, and price discrepancies. The offence carries a potential sentence of up to 7 years in prison. The accused are due to appear in court on the 12th.
