Gold smuggling gangs in Kerala who depended on Islamist countries in the Gulf are now allegedly switching their illegal operations to another Muslim country. Experts concur that Malaysia is the new favorite base for the Kerala gold smuggling mafia. There has been a huge increase in the smuggling of gold from Malaysia using women in recent times. Women from Malaysia smuggle gold in this way to some agents in Kerala.
In the last month, 4.3 kg of gold was seized at Nedumbassery International Airport in Kochi while it was being smuggled from Malaysia. This gold is worth Rs 2.13 crore. Women are the main traffickers from Malaysia compared to the Gulf. It is said that this new move of the gold smuggling group is after the gold smugglers from the Gulf countries have been caught regularly.
The majority of carriers in Kerala who smuggle gold are women. Lady carriers made up 13 out of the 17 people who were detained at the Nedumbassery airport this month for attempting to smuggle gold. In barely two weeks, the customs seized 8.472 kilograms of gold, valued at 4.4 crore rupees. The customs seized 8.472 kg of gold worth 4.4 crore rupees in just two weeks. Of this, 1.721 kg was left on the plane. 4.308 kg of gold was from Malaysia
While gold is brought from the Gulf in molten or solid form (bars), it is brought from Malaysia as ornaments. The jewelry brought in this way is sold at a higher price in the Kerala market and carries an added incentive to the smuggling mafia.
Comparing the value of the Bharatiya rupee with the Malaysian ringgit, one kg of gold has a profit of four lakh rupees. Another attraction for the gold smuggling gang is that flight ticket prices from Malaysia to Kochi are also very cheap compared to the Gulf countries. Women who become carriers to transport gold are often paid up to Rs.40,000. Apart from this, smugglers also provide two-way air tickets to Kerala.
