Code of conduct for Grey market

J Dey decodes the secret language of sellers in Mumbai's thriving markets of smuggled goods

J Dey decodes the secret language of sellers in Mumbai's thriving markets of smuggled goods

Next time you decide to pick up a gadget from the grey market, pay attention to the chatter between the sellers. Even innocuous-sounding words like ASS or GOSS have a deeper meaning.

The smugglers in the grey market shopping districts use such words as codes (see box) to communicate with each other while you bargain.

The words or acronyms relate to the discount or the selling price, revealed insiders. For instance, ASS means Rs 100 and GOSS Rs 2,300 as per one of the codes that is currently in use.

Code Name: More than a lakh buyers visit the grey markets of Musafirkhana, Manish Market and other outlets around Crawford Market every day.

And it is not just codes for prices. The sellers even classify the buyers by a language not known to outsiders.
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They use code words to identify buyers who seem interested and could make a purchase if coaxed properly.
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The word Aika, which stands for brother in their code language, is used to identify a male buyer who should be given some extra attention.

A female buyer is called Aniba which stands for sister, a friend is Osda, a car is Adija, a senior cop is Opita and the police are Alispa according to the current secret code.
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The codes are changed regularly to stay a step ahead of the buyers.

More than a lakh buyers visit the grey markets of Musafirkhana, Manish Market, Sara, Sahara and other outlets around Crawford Market in south Mumbai every day.

The volume of consumption can be gauged from the fact that more than 20 containers laden with contraband are brought in each day.

This means the traders do business in crores every day, said insiders.

Some of the secret codes could be attributed to gangster Dawood Ibrahim, who started with palti (changing goods with the sleight of the hand) among the maze of shops in the same bazaar.
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Some of the smugglers in these markets still owe allegiance to him, revealed police sources.

Incidentally, a similar code was used by the Indian Mujahideen during the series of blasts across the country in the past two years. It took the police a while to decode it.

Common Codes

A GOD HELP US
1u00a0 234u00a0 5678 90

BLACK HORSE
12345 67890

Gag: Rs 100
Thaan: Rs 1,000
Dhaiya: Rs 10