Woman Discards 15 Pounds of Gold Jewellery at Airport After Being Asked to Pay Customs Duty
Woman Discards 15 Pounds of Gold Jewellery at Airport After Being Asked to Pay Customs Duty
A dramatic scene unfolded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport early Sunday morning when a woman arriving from Dubai reacted furiously to a customs duty charge on the gold jewellery she was carrying.
The passenger, a middle-aged woman reportedly from Kollam, landed on an Emirates flight and was asked to pay a 36% duty on roughly 15 sovereigns of gold around 120 grams at the customs counter on the Sankhumugham side of the terminal. Eyewitnesses said she became agitated, shouting at officers and throwing both her baggage and the gold ornaments toward customs personnel.
According to sources in the Customs Department, the woman claimed the jewellery was her personal possession, worn during her visit to relatives abroad. She argued that since the gold had originally been taken from her home in India, it shouldn’t be subject to import duties. However, customs officials clarified that passengers must present valid proof such as export certificates showing the jewellery was taken out of India legally. Without such documentation, standard import duties apply.
In this case, officials also pointed out that she had not stayed abroad for more than six months, a minimum requirement for claiming certain duty exemptions. Consequently, she was liable to pay over Rs 2 lakh in taxes.
As tensions rose, the woman reportedly removed her jewellery and left it in front of the officers before storming off to collect her checked luggage. Customs immediately notified the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who kept a close watch on the situation.
Later, she returned with family members to resume discussions with the customs team. Despite emotional appeals, authorities stood firm, stating the jewellery could only be returned if the appropriate duty was paid or if she chose to take it back abroad.
Eventually, after a prolonged exchange, the woman accepted the terms and left the airport with her family. Officials have not commented on whether any legal proceedings will follow. The incident has once again drawn attention to the often contentious encounters between returning NRIs and airport customs procedures.
