Here is how Mumbai airport became epicenter of gold smuggling in India

Mumbai airport has become the biggest hub for gold smuggling in India, overtaking Delhi and Chennai, according to a report from the customs department. The report revealed that 604 kg of smuggled gold worth Rs 360 crore was seized at the Mumbai airport over an 11-month period, since October 2022. This is a significant increase compared to the 403 kg seized in 2019-20, before the pandemic. The report also revealed that since October 2022, over 20 foreign nationals have been arrested for smuggling gold in Mumbai. The customs officials have stated that Mumbai is a transit hub for gold smugglers as there is a big market for the precious metal, and several syndicates, including jewellers, finance the racketeers. The other three metro cities of Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai are also preferred for the international routes, and Hyderabad has seen a slow rise in gold smuggling cases, with 124 kg seized compared to 55 kg seized last year.