In a major crackdown on international gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested an Air India crew member and the alleged mastermind of a smuggling syndicate, seizing foreign-origin gold worth ₹1.41 crore.
Acting on precise intelligence, DRI officers intercepted Girish Pimpale, 42, a crew member who had arrived at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from New York on Air India flight AI-116. He was stopped near the terminal’s exit after clearing the customs green channel.
During the initial examination, DRI officials found two handwritten slips containing calculations related to gold purchases, arousing suspicion of smuggling. Upon further questioning, Pimpale confessed to his role and led officers to a pouch hidden beside a sofa in the international arrival area. The pouch contained 1,373.2 grams of gold, believed to have been smuggled from the United States.
Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Rakesh Rathod, identified as the mastermind behind the operation. According to officials, Rathod had recruited Pimpale to take advantage of the relaxed scrutiny airline crew often receive at international airports.
Sources revealed that Rathod promised Pimpale a commission of ₹2 lakh for every kilogram of gold smuggled. The gold was purchased in the United States using funds routed through illegal hawala channels. In the most recent transaction, Rathod reportedly arranged USD 150,000 in cash for Pimpale to acquire gold in the U.S.
Investigators further disclosed that Pimpale and Rathod had been in contact for over a year, and that this was not the first instance of gold being smuggled using this modus operandi. Rathod, who has a previous gold smuggling case registered against him by Mumbai Customs in 2020, had earlier accepted gold deliveries from Pimpale on at least two occasions.
Both individuals have been arrested under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, and DRI officials are now expanding the probe to identify other associates involved in the network and trace the origin of the illicit funds used to purchase the smuggled gold.
The case highlights growing concerns over the misuse of airline crew privileges in cross-border smuggling operations and the persistent role of hawala in financing such activities.
