On 28th May, The Hindu reported that human hair exporters had sought help from the government to stop the alleged smuggling of raw hair as it was wreaking havoc on their business – the export of raw hair, locally known as goli. The Customs Department said that action will be taken on the information provided by them on the people and custom stations involved. By smuggling hair to China, traders avoid paying 30% import duty, and raw hair is also smuggled to Myanmar as children are employed at very low wages to untangle the hair, exporters said. Indian hair exports, considered to be one of the best in the world for its length and texture, were valued at $229 million in 2017-18.
