Asked To Pay Customs Duty, Kerala Woman Throws Away 15 Pounds Of Gold Jewellery At The Airport

News18

22-04-2025

A woman from Kollam caused chaos at Thiruvananthapuram Airport by refusing to pay customs duty on 120g of gold, claiming it was her personal property.
A woman arriving on an early morning flight from Dubai created chaos at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Sunday morning after violently reacting to a customs duty demand on gold ornaments she was carrying.
The middle-aged woman, reportedly from Kollam, arrived on an Emirates flight and stunned Customs officials when she reacted violently to a demand that she pay 36% duty on roughly 15 sovereigns of gold jewellery, approximately 120 grams. The confrontation escalated rapidly with eyewitnesses saying that she began hurling her baggage and gold ornaments toward officers stationed at the Sankhumugham-side customs counter.
According to sources within the customs department, the woman claimed the jewellery was her personal property, worn during her stay abroad while visiting relatives. She argued that since she had taken the ornaments from home and used them during her trip, she should not be subject to import duties upon return. However, customs officers explained that without valid documentation proving the jewellery had been taken out of India prior to her journey, they were compelled to impose the standard import duty.
Officials noted that since the woman had not stayed abroad for more than six months – a key condition for certain duty exemptions – she was liable to pay more than Rs 2 lakh in customs tax.
As the discussion turned heated, the woman reportedly removed the jewellery and threw it in front of the customs officers before storming out of the terminal to retrieve her checked luggage. In response to the commotion, Customs department immediately alerted the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who monitored the situation closely.
She later returned to the customs area, accompanied by relatives, and resumed talks with officials. Despite emotional appeals and further arguments, customs authorities remained firm in their stance, clarifying that the gold would not be released without payment of the required tax. They did, however, assure her that the seized ornaments could be returned should she choose to travel back abroad.
Eventually, after prolonged discussions, the woman agreed to the conditions laid out by customs and departed the airport with her family. Officials have not disclosed whether any further legal action will be taken, but the incident has once again spotlighted the recurring tensions between returning expatriates and airport customs enforcement.
First Published:
April 22, 2025, 16:02 IST