125 gold bars found at Bengal village woman’s home, 7 kg gold in wax found in Mumbai: DRI seizes 42+ kg foreign-origin gold worth Rs 65 crore in a day

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 42kg of foreign-origin gold and 10kg of silver worth over Rs 65 crore in a nationwide crackdown on gold smuggling, officials said.

The operations also led to the arrest of 25 people, including five foreign nationals, according to the DRI.

Investigators uncovered several methods allegedly used by smuggling networks, including concealing gold in specially created vehicle cavities, body concealment, using transit passengers and airport staff, and moving precious metals through land and coastal routes.


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DRI uncovers gold smuggling syndicate at Mumbai airport

On August 28 and 29, the DRI uncovered an organised network allegedly involved in smuggling foreign-origin gold through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

The network allegedly involved foreign nationals travelling through Mumbai from destinations including Dubai, Bangkok and Male. An airport staff member was also allegedly involved in helping smuggled gold bypass checks.

The DRI recovered 16 capsules containing 6.85kg of 24-carat gold dust in wax form. Six people were arrested in connection with the case, including five foreign nationals travelling through Mumbai and an airport staff member.

The agency said the case highlights how organised smuggling networks are allegedly exploiting transit routes and airport personnel to move gold through airports.

Gold recovered from passengers at Kolkata airport

On August 29, DRI officers conducted two intelligence-led operations at NSCBI Airport in Kolkata, intercepting passengers arriving from Bangkok and Dubai.

In one case, two passengers arriving from Dubai were found carrying 4.87kg of gold concealed in their undergarments and jeans. The gold-containing semi-solid paste was recovered, melted and converted into bars before being seized.

Both passengers were arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

In another case involving a Bangkok flight, DRI officials recovered 3.36kg of foreign-origin gold in the form of 11 raw chains from one passenger. The agency alleged that the gold had been handed over to him by another passenger to help him cross the Green Channel. Both passengers were arrested.

DRI seizes 15.61kg gold in Nadia

In another operation on August 29, the DRI seized 125 foreign-origin gold bars weighing 15.61kg.

The gold was recovered by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel during a surprise search of a woman's residential premises in Banpur village in West Bengal's Nadia district.

During the investigation, the woman allegedly admitted to being involved in the smuggling activity along with the men of the house, according to the DRI.

She was arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

Gold seized at Kerala airports

The DRI also carried out separate operations in Kerala on August 29.

At Cochin International Airport, officials intercepted a passenger arriving from Ras Al Khaimah and recovered 1.78kg of gold from two packets of gold in compound form concealed on the passenger's body. The passenger was arrested.

At Calicut International Airport, DRI officers, along with the Air Intelligence Unit, detected 549 grams of 24-carat foreign-origin gold concealed inside specially created cavities in the heavy alloy portion of an iron box carried by a passenger arriving from Jeddah.

The gold was seized under the Customs Act, 1962, and the passenger was arrested.

Gold smuggling cases along India-Bangladesh border

The DRI and BSF also carried out several operations along the Indo-Bangladesh border on August 26 and 27.

DRI officials seized 935 grams and 1.74kg of foreign-origin gold in two separate operations. One person was arrested in each case.

In another operation in Kolkata, officials recovered 1.48kg of foreign-origin gold in paste form, allegedly smuggled from Thailand.

The gold was recovered from four people who were allegedly carrying five capsules concealed inside their bodies during a domestic road journey. The four individuals and their alleged handler were arrested.

Gold and silver seized in Assam and Tamil Nadu

In Guwahati, the DRI seized 3.84kg of foreign-origin gold bars allegedly smuggled through the Indo-Bangladesh border in the Tripura sector.

Two people, including a woman, were arrested in the case.

In Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, the agency seized 1.360kg of foreign-origin gold and 9.99kg of foreign-origin silver. The precious metals were allegedly smuggled through the coastal route from Sri Lanka. Three people were arrested.


(Inputs from agencies)