All Filipinos are advised to exercise caution in bringing in unusual quantities of gold (ingot and jewelry), precious metals and precious and semi-precious stones to India. The Philippine government received reports that in recent months, the Indian government has limited the import of gold to India.  There are also reports of individuals apprehended at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai on suspicion of gold smuggling.

The Indian Customs Act of 1962, Chapter XIII, Section 101 and 102 may be instructive in this matter:

Section 101.  Power to search suspected persons in certain other cases. – (1) If an officer of customs empowered in this behalf by general or special order of the Commissioner of Customs, has reason to believe that any person has secreted about his person any goods of the description specified in sub-section (2) which are liable to confiscation, or documents relating thereto, he may search that person.

(2) The goods referred to in sub-section (1) are the following:

      (a) gold;

      (b) diamonds;

      (c) manufactures of gold or diamonds;

      (d) watches;

(e) any other class of goods which the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify.

Section 102. Persons to be searched may require to be taken before gazetted officer of customs or magistrate. – (1) When any officer of customs is about to search any person under the provisions of section 101, the officer of customs shall, if such person so requires, take him without unnecessary delay to the nearest gazetted office of customs or magistrate.

(2) If such requisition is made, the officer of customs may detain the person making it until he can bring him before the gazetted officer of customs or the magistrate.

(3) The gazetted officer of customs or the magistrate before whom any such person is brought shall, if he sees no reasonable ground for search, forthwith discharge the person but otherwise shall direct that search be made.

(4) Before making a search under the provisions of section 100 or section 101, the officer of customs shall call upon two or more persons to attend and witness the search and may issue an order in writing to them or any of them so to do; and the search shall be made in the presence of such persons and a list of all things seized in the course of such search shall be prepared by such officer or other person and signed by such witnesses.

(5) No female shall be searched by any one excepting a female.

Filipinos are advised to be cautious in dealing with individuals who offer plane tickets, hotel accommodation, large sums of money or other consideration in exchange for carrying or delivering gold or precious metal or precious and semi-precious stones to or from India.