Anarcho-Capitalist NEWS: Gold smuggling in India likely to rise if curbs stay, woo-hoo!

Gold demand in India is expected to be robust in 2014 and likely to encourage an increase in smuggling if curbs on bullion imports remain, the World Gold Council (WGC) said.

Anarcho-Capitalist NEWS: Gold smuggling in India likely to rise if curbs stay, woo-hoo! ?m=02&d=20140218&t=2&i=841483242&w=580&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CDEEA1H0HF900

Anarcho-Capitalist NEWS: Gold smuggling in India likely to rise if curbs stay, woo-hoo! ?m=02&d=20140218&t=2&i=841483242&w=580&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CDEEA1H0HF900

Indian gold consumption is expected to be 900-1,000 tonnes in 2014 for jewellery and investment purchases, according to the WGC. That is slightly behind top gold buyer China, whose demand is expected to be 1,000-1,100 tonnes.

Bullion demand in India rose 13 percent last year to 974.8 tonnes, according to the WGC's quarterly report issued on Tuesday, in a sign that consumer appetite has been largely unaffected by government restrictions on gold imports.

Struggling with a high trade deficit and a plunging rupee, India was forced to impose curbs on gold, which is the second-biggest expense in its import bill.

A record high import duty of 10 percent and a rule tying import quantities to export levels have crimped supply in what was until a year ago the world's biggest bullion consumer, prompting a sharp jump in smuggling.

"Despite all the curbs, demand has come in at 975 tonnes. The question obviously is where the supplies came from," said Somasundaram PR, WGC's managing director for India. "We have seen anecdotal evidence of smuggling. Our estimate is 150-200 tonnes, more towards the upper end."

Smuggling could have been even higher as Indian gold imports have sagged in recent months to 20-30 tonnes a month, compared with a record 162 tonnes in May. Scrap gold is also being used to meet demand.

India's official gold imports in the first 11 months of 2013 totaled about 655 tonnes.

"If supply restrictions continue, then we will see a much higher figure for smuggling," Somasundaram said, declining to provide an estimate.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/18/asiagolddemand-idINDEEA1H04R20140218

Anarcho-Capitalist NEWS: Gold smuggling in India likely to rise if curbs stay, woo-hoo!

Anarcho-Capitalist NEWS: Gold smuggling in India likely to rise if curbs stay, woo-hoo!

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