Indian expats in Saudi Arabia advised to follow customs rules

JEDDAH: The Indian consul general has released an official statement reminding Indian nationals to follow customs rules, after a number of arrests for attempted gold smuggling were made in Indian airports recently.

“It is my advice to all nationals and visitors to India that there are some rules and regulations of the customs which should be followed by all the nationals and visitors of the country, and these rules and regulations are clearly mentioned on the Indian government customs department website and always displayed at the airports — how much and what are allowed from customs authorities, and what are needed to be declared in



front of customs authorities. There are rules in the Kingdom and in India,” said Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh, who was appointed to the post last February.

On Friday, three passengers traveling from Dubai were arrested in Mumbai in separate incidents for trying to smuggle a total of 7.2 kg of gold worth Rs 20.14 million ($377, 227).

In the first case, a woman and her accomplice had shaped 4.2kg of gold into hooks for supporting old trousers and painted them silver. The second case saw the Indian Air Intelligence Unit stop a man with a steel roller inside which they discovered bars of gold weighing a total of 3 kg.