Surat airport bust reveals smugglers' new ‘golden goose': How it happened
The process of creating gold paste begins with melting gold, often sourced from bars, jewellery or mining operations, into a liquid state. This molten gold is then pulverised into fine dust or powder using specialised equipment. Due to its paste-like consistency, it can be packed into small containers, lined within clothing, or even hidden in body cavities.The traditional gold biscuits, or bars, are solid, standardised units of refined gold, typically stamped with purity and weight certifications, making them easily recognisable and traceable. They are rigid, bulky and detectable by metal scanners, posing challenges for smugglers.Gold paste, by contrast, is non-metallic in appearance due to its binding agents, which can mask its presence from conventional X-ray machines. While biscuits are ready for immediate trade or investment, gold paste requires further processing to extract pure gold, adding a layer of complexity but also discretion.Gold paste is primarily used to bypass customs duties, which result in 20 per cent increase in the price of the metal, and import restrictions, driven by India's high demand for gold and steep import tariffs. Once smuggled, the paste is processed to extract pure gold for sale in jewellery markets or to fund illicit activities such as hawala transactions.Extraction involves heating the paste to burn off organic binders, leaving behind gold particles. These are then chemically treated—often with acids like aqua regia—to dissolve impurities, followed by precipitation and smelting to yield pure gold. The process, while straightforward, requires expertise to ensure minimal loss of the precious metal.The value of gold paste lies in its pure gold content, which in the Surat case was estimated to yield over 20 kg of pure gold, worth around Rs 25 crore in the Indian market.advertisementIn a 2024 incident at Surat airport, a woman was found to have hidden 550 g of gold paste in her rectum. At airports, paste evades metal detectors due to its non-metallic binders, detection then reliant on behavioural profiling or specific tip-offs.Gold smuggling has long been a global issue, with India a prime destination due to its cultural affinity for gold and high import duties. In January 2024, a Bengaluru couple was caught at the Kempegowda International Airport smuggling 3.8 kg of gold paste worth Rs 1.9 crore, hidden in padded undergarments, using their children as a cover.In May 2024, Tamil Nadu smugglers were busted with 10.3 kg of gold paste worth Rs 7.75 crore, concealed in clothing. Internationally, Sudanese syndicates have been active, with 18 women arrested in Mumbai in 2019 for smuggling gold paste worth Rs 10 crore each. A 2024 Reuters report highlighted barter smuggling at the India-Bangladesh border, where gold was hidden in sugar and onion shipments.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
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