Umrah pilgrims fall prey to gold smugglers

Hyderabad: With crackdown on smugglers and strict vigilance at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials took strong measures to put gold smugglers under scanner and busted many cases.

In a joint operation with South Zone Task Force sleuths, the DRI officials on Tuesday unearthed international gold smuggling racket and took 14 pilgrims, who were returning after the Umrah from Jeddah by Saudi Airlines Flight No SV-744, into their custody at the airport. They seized 6.46 kg of gold worth Rs 2.17 crore from their possession.

Startling revelations came to light during the inquiry by sleuths. On verification, they found from each of the passenger a foreign marked gold in the form of cut pieces, 24 kt kadas and 24 kt chains which did not have any documents to prove that they were being brought legally. As the sleuths probed further, a new modus operandi of the gold smugglers came to light. The gold smugglers have been targeting residents of Hyderabad who want to go on Umrah.

These pilgrims, who become prospective smugglers, get a sponsored trip at a highly discounted price. But in return, these passengers are told to carry gold on their return journey. If the pilgrims refuse, they are blackmailed and are threatened that they will not be sent back to India and will recover full expenses of Umrah.

City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar appreciated the sleuths of South Zone Task force for busting the international gold smuggling racket and the new modus operandi and gave away awards to them.

-Yanadi Reddy