Chinese national helps officials at IGIA bust gold smuggling ring

NEW DELHI: A Chinese passenger acted as an interpreter and ended up helping customs officials at Delhi airport arrest two Taiwanese nationals for smuggling gold.

On February 2, customs officers stopped a Taiwanese national on suspicion of smuggling gold, but were unable to question him as the passenger did not speak English.

However, officials managed to ask a Chinese national to translate on their behalf and eventually caught another smuggler who had already exited the terminal.

“It was on February 2, a Taiwan national was stopped for checking. He was coming from Taipei via Hong Kong. We found four gold bars wrapped in a newspaper and kept in the pocket of his trousers. We interrogated him with the help of another passenger and traced another Taiwan national for being part of the racket,” said a customs officer, requesting anonymity.

Gold worth ₹1.21 crore was seized and both the passengers were arrested, officials said.

Customs officials said smugglers are now seen shifting base to Hong Kong from east Asia and have started using Taiwanese nationals for smuggling.

In a similar case on February 10, four Taiwan nationals were arrested. “They had also arrived from Taiwan via Hong Kong. They were stopped after crossing the green channel. In a modus operandi similar to the previous one, gold bars wrapped in a newspaper and kept in the pocket of trouser were recovered. A total 10 kg gold worth ₹3 crore was seized,” the officer added.

In the February 10 case, the gold was recovered from three passengers, while a fourth accused handed them the gold in Hong Kong.