CBI books customs officials over fake jewellery exports
The scam was exposed in 2022 after DRI officials intercepted a consignment, uncovering the fraudulent export of fake jewellery.
🚨 Fake Jewellery Export Scam: Key Highlights
🔑 Case Overview- Officials allegedly accepted ₹6.99 crore in bribes to clear shipments of gold-plated copper jewellery.
- The racket aimed at claiming customs duty refunds by showing fake exports against genuine gold imports.
- Importers brought in gold bullion mainly from Gulf countries.
- Instead of making genuine ornaments, the bullion was sold in the local market for profit.
- To claim duty refund, exporters shipped fake jewellery made of copper with a thin gold coating.
- Customs staff approved consignments as genuine gold jewellery in exchange for bribes. 👮♂️ Role of Customs Officials
- Superintendent J. Suresh Kumar: Cleared 7.38 lakh grams of fake ornaments worth ₹299.52 crore.
- Superintendent Alok Shukla: Helped export jewellery valued at ₹38.87 crore.
- Appraiser N. Samuel Deepak Avinash: Approved consignments worth ₹149 crore.
- Superintendent P. Thulasi Ram: Also named in the conspiracy.
- Payments allegedly made at ₹50 per gram of fake jewellery cleared. 👔 Businessmen Involved
- Customs House Agent: A. Mariappan.
- On inspection, officials found the jewellery was copper with gold plating, not pure gold.
- This triggered a deeper probe, revealing the multi-crore export racket. ⚠️ Why This Matters
- Fraud worth hundreds of crores drained public revenue.
- Genuine exporters face reputation loss due to such fraudulent practices.
- The scam exposes loopholes in customs duty refund system.
- Highlights how corruption at official levels weakens trust in institutions.
- Fake gold jewellery export scam
- CBI books customs officials Chennai
- ₹487 crore fake jewellery exports
- Customs duty refund fraud India
- DRI busts fake jewellery racket
- Bribery in customs clearance