The Customs Department officials probing the gold smuggling case suspect that an organised gold smuggling racket is operating in Andhra Pradesh with links to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other neighbouring States.

On January 11, officials of the Customs Preventive Commissionerate of Vijayawada and Guntur and Tirupati GST conducted raids at Nellore and Tadipatri railway stations and Bollapalli toll plaza (in Prakasam district) and arrested 16 gold smugglers. 

The officials seized foreign-origin smuggled gold weighing 17.90 kg worth ₹14.37 crore.

The smugglers had brought the yellow metal from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, an investigation officer said.

The accused were produced in the Economic Offences Court, Visakhapatnam, and were remanded in judicial custody.

“Of the 16 smugglers arrested a few days ago, 13 collected gold biscuits from Tamil Nadu and three got gold from the smugglers from Kerala. We are trying to find out the locations where the gangs met, contacts of the kingpins and other details,” said Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Sadhu Narasimha Reddy.

“The modus operandi of the accused is to erase the foreign gold marking on the biscuits, put an Indian hallmark and market the metal in the local bullion market,’‘ Mr. Narasimha Reddy told The Hindu on Friday.

The accused were all first-time offenders, he said.