Customs officials say that the allure of gold is so powerful that it has turned smuggling into a highly profitable enterprise, albeit fraught with danger.
Gold is smuggled into Kerala mostly from the Middle East. (Representative image/Creative Commons)
With four international airports acting as gateways, Kerala is a lucrative hub for gold smuggling worth crores of rupees annually. The recent arrest of two cabin crew for allegedly smuggling gold again highlights the problem. Kerala’s expatriate population in the Middle East also plays a role, as smugglers exploit their frequent travel between these regions to transport gold illegally.