Assam Police bust international gold smuggling racket worth Rs 54 crore

Assam Police have busted an international gold smuggling racket and seized gold worth Rs 54 crore, NDTV reported, in a significant blow to an organised criminal network operating through India's northeast.

Assam's geography makes it a perennial hotspot for cross-border smuggling. The state shares boundaries with Bhutan and Bangladesh, and its porous stretches have historically been exploited by networks moving gold, narcotics and other contraband. The scale of this particular haul — Rs 54 crore — suggests a well-organised operation with supply chains extending beyond India's borders.

The precise number of arrests and the full details of how the network operated were being established at the time of reporting. Assam Police, working in coordination with central agencies in such cases, have been increasingly aggressive in interdicting smuggling operations in the region, particularly since gold import duties were revised.

High customs duties on gold imports into India have historically incentivised illegal smuggling as a cheaper alternative to formal channels. Each major bust chips away at a grey economy that deprives the exchequer of significant revenue and distorts the legitimate jewellery and bullion trade.