The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit, has busted an organised syndicate allegedly involved in smuggling foreign-origin gold through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.
During the operation, DRI officers recovered eight capsules containing gold dust concealed in wax form. The seized gold weighed approximately 3.47 kilograms and was valued at around ₹5.47 crore.
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Five persons, including two international transit passengers and two airline staff members, were arrested for their alleged involvement in the smuggling operation. A handler accused of coordinating the movement and collection of the contraband with an airline employee was also apprehended.
According to the available information, the two transit passengers had arrived separately from Muscat and Dubai. The alleged syndicate reportedly attempted to exploit the international transit system and the access available to airport personnel to move the smuggled gold through the airport without detection.
The interception of the airline employees indicates that the operation was not confined to passengers carrying concealed gold. The authorities suspect that the contraband was intended to be transferred within the airport to persons having authorised access to restricted operational areas.
The alleged handler is stated to have coordinated with an airline staff member for the receipt and further movement of the gold. The arrests have brought under scrutiny the suspected nexus between international passengers, airport-based personnel and handlers operating outside the airport.
The eight capsules containing gold dust in wax form were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. Gold in wax or paste form is frequently used in smuggling attempts because it can be moulded into compact packets and concealed in baggage, clothing or on the body.
The seizure reflects the increasing use of coordinated methods by gold-smuggling networks, particularly through international transit routes. Such operations often involve multiple participants entrusted with distinct roles, including carrying the contraband, facilitating its movement through restricted areas and delivering it to handlers.
The DRI is now investigating the broader network behind the alleged syndicate. The agency is expected to examine the travel history and communication records of the accused, the source and intended recipient of the gold, financial transactions linked to the operation and the possible involvement of other airport personnel.
Further investigation is underway to identify additional members of the syndicate and determine whether the accused were involved in earlier instances of gold smuggling through Mumbai airport.
