Officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport seized nearly 2 kilograms of gold valued at around Rs. 3.1 crore from five passengers arriving from Myanmar on Sunday.

According to officials, the passengers—two males and three females—arrived at IGI Airport, New Delhi from Myanmar on Flight No. 8M-620 on March 9, 2026. Acting on Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) profiling, customs officers intercepted the group at the exit of the Green Channel, where passengers are expected to declare dutiable goods voluntarily.

During the initial screening, the baggage of the passengers was subjected to X-ray examination, but no suspicious images were detected. However, when the passengers were checked through the Door Frame Metal Detector (DFMD), a strong beep alert was triggered, prompting a detailed personal search.

Upon further examination, officers recovered 12 yellow metal cut pieces appearing to be made of gold, weighing 1993 grams, cleverly concealed inside the pockets of jeans and within shoes worn by the passengers.

The seized gold is estimated to be worth approximately ₹3.1 crore in the international market.

Following the recovery, the passengers along with the seized gold were handed over to the Shift-B customs team for further investigation and necessary legal action under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

Customs officials said the interception highlights the effectiveness of APIS-based risk profiling and surveillance mechanisms at Indian airports in curbing attempts to smuggle precious metals into the country. Investigations are underway to determine the source of the gold and the possible involvement of a larger smuggling network.

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