India, May 14 -- The revenue intelligence and customs officers are likely to intensify surveillance and step up vigil on international borders to check possible gold smuggling after the sharp hike in customs duty on the yellow metal to 15 per cent on Wednesday, officials said.

The tax officers will step up monitoring of land and coastal infiltration routes, domestic handlers acting as distribution nodes, organised carrier networks, and foreign national-based syndicates to deter syndicates from exploiting the gold market.

"The idea is to disrupt the supply chain and intercept gold smuggling syndicate and cross border cartels. Intelligence driven surveillance and enforcement will be key in tackling the challenge of gold smuggling," an off...