The amount of gold confiscated in the first nine months of this year reached 127 kilograms (worth 6.8 billion won), which represent more than nine-fold rise from 13 kilograms of gold confiscated in the same period last year, according to statistics rleased by the Korea Customs Service (KCS).
A large amount of gold has been smuggled into the country since July last year since gold prices in the nation were relatively higher than those of other countries, KCS officials said.
The KCS has recently stepped-up crackdown on gold smuggling attempts.
"After a hiatus, gold smuggling rings are believed to have resumed activities. We are intensifying crackdown on gold smuggling attempts by increasing the number of team members tasked with analyzing intelligence collected," an official said.
A Taiwanese and South Korean were booked without physical detention on charges of smuggling 18 gold bars, each weighing 1 kilogram, and 37 gold bars, each weighing 225 grams, into the country, the KCS said. Those gold bars confiscated worth 1.7 billion won.
People have been caught trying to smuggle into the nation gold bars, by hiding them in their rectums, or underwear like girdle and bra, the customs agency said.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com