Hyderabad: Gold smuggling is on the rise in Hyderabad from West Asian and Southeast Asian countries. Customs officials have booked 20 cases since March, and seized 34 kilos of gold, including Friday’s seizure of 18 kg at the Shamshabad international airport.
The smugglers are using different methods, such as smuggling gold in dust form disguised as henna powder, or gold bars hidden in footwear or clothes and luggage and, in some cases, even in the rectum of the carrier.
According to customs officials, the margin of profit for smugglers would be around `5 lakh per kilogramme, substantial enough to fuel the spurt in smuggling.
Most of the gold is smuggled in from Singapore, Dubai and Thailand. Customs commissioner M.K. Singh said, “In this financial year, 20 cases of gold smuggling involving 16 kg of gold valued at Rs 4.8 crore were detected and 13 persons were arrested. With Friday’s seizure, the figure has gone up.”
He said smugglers were concealing gold in the false bottom of luggage, in inner garments, secret pockets sewed into trousers and inside the soles of shoes. Those arrested face three to five years’ imprisonment and confiscation of the gold.
A person can legally import one kilo of gold by declaring it at Customs and paying duty. But import duty was increased this year, which is another reason for the spurt in gold smuggling.
Even after paying the increased duty, gold purchased abroad would still be cheaper than in India. But smugglers, or their carriers, try to maximise profit by trying to avoid paying duty.
The gold that was seized on Friday at Shamshabad airport was meant to be smuggled to Chennai. Customs chief commissioner B.B. Prasad said, “Gold smuggling has increased this year. The profit margins are high so they are resorting to smuggling.”
Prasad said that a week ago, Customs officials at the airport found smugglers bringing in gold in powder form that looks like henna powder. He said that profiling of the suspects is a painstaking job. “In Singapore, there are no restrictions or duty on what is carried out or carried in,” he said.
In October three passengers were held in Hyderabad for smuggling gold worth Rs 90 lakh. Salman Hyder, Hussain Ali and his wife Amthul Zahara travelling from Singapore and Bangkok respectively were arrested.
The humble but ubiquitous Idli-Sambar, a dish that triggers much mirth, has emerged a clear winner. It has been chosen as the healthiest option among various Indian breakfast menus. 
Also, the breakfast nutrient profile in Chennai is the best among all four metros though it is continues to be deficient in fibre, iron and B group of vitamins.According to research on ‘India Breakfast Habits Study’ conducted by Dr. Malathi Sivaramakrishnan of Nirmala Niketan (with support of Kellogg India), the existence of well-defined breakfast foods like Idli and Dosa with Sambar ensures that Chennaiites have a breakfast adequate in calories compared to Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.“However, there are still glaring gaps in the recommended dietary allowance for Indians with a deficit in iron, fibre and Vitamin B3, Niacin,” Dr. Malathi said. When it came to the day’s nutrient profile with the deficit being met by lunch or dinner options, Delhi emerged the best, she added.Releasing the study findings, she said, though breakfast comprised of Idli or Dosa with some accompaniment for a majority of children, adolescents and working adults in Chennai, nearly per cent of housewives, 30 per cent of the elderly and 20 per cent working adults have only a beverage for breakfast.The contribution of calories from fat at breakfast among Chennaiites is as high as 34-35 per cent compared to 25 per cent of recommended dietary allowance (RDA) among adults (18-40 years).The breakfast fat comes from oil in Dosa, oil in chutney powder and coconut in chutney.The study also revealed a gender bias in breakfast skipping attitudes with about 18 per cent of adolescent girls displaying the tendency while this attitude was prevalent only among 4 per cent of boys.However, breakfast picture is slightly better in children below 12 years with skipping attitude less rampant in the age group.“The prevalence of breakfast skipping among adolescent girls is a major cause of concern as this is an important stage of growing up, especially for girls who need more iron intake,” Dr Malathi said.Supplementing the regular diet with foods that are rich in fibre and vitamins will help prevent breakfast skimping (inadequate nutrient) among people, she added. With reasons ranging from paucity of time to fears of weight gain, the study, Mumbai, found 27 per cent respondents saying they skipped breakfast. Only three per cent respondents said they considered breakfast as essential part of the day, it added. The study conducted over years, starting 2009, covered 3,619 respondents from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. 'Paranthas' emerged as the breakfast item of choice for Delhiites, while Idlis and Dosas found favour with Chennai residents.More respondents in Mumbai and Kolkata opted for bread, milk and eggs in breakfast. Other studies have suggested a link between skipping breakfast to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health problems seen as precursors to heart problems.Experts believe that people who don’t eat breakfast are more likely to be hungrier later in the day and eat larger meals. Those meals mean the body must process a larger amount of calories in a shorter amount of time. That can spike sugar levels in the blood and perhaps lead to clogged arteries.Skipping breakfast - the most important meal of the day, not only means that you tuck in more lunch, but also primes your brain to seek out unhealthier and higher-calorie foods.What's your favourite breakfast option? Let us know by leaving a comment below.