Air India staff nabbed for smuggling gold

[NEW DELHI] Indian authorities have found 13 cases of gold smuggling by employees of the national carrier, Air India, over the past three years and the current year, the junior civil aviation minister said on Wednesday.

India, the biggest buyer of gold after China, last year imposed a record 10 per cent import duty and made it mandatory to export a fifth of all bullion imports to constrict its trade deficit.

But this has led to heavy smuggling, with some hiding gold in imported vehicles and even using human mules who swallow nuggets to try to get them past airport security.