India, April 13 -- LUCKNOW Even as customs authorities are trying to dig deep into those who aided the escape of 29 passengers detained at Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport for allegedly smuggling gold on April 3, a staggering six-fold increase in gold seizures in UP during 2023-2024 compared to the previous year is linked to the yellow metal's use as hawala settlement, said officials.

Gold has been recovered at airports in Lucknow, Varanasi and other parts of the state by different agencies and the surge in contraband trafficking extends beyond gold, with a notable uptick in smuggling of foreign cigarettes.

According to officials, 140kg of gold was seized across UP in this period accompanied by an increase in trafficking of fore...