The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled an international gold smuggling syndicate at Kempegowda International Airport, seizing 3.3 kg of high-purity gold valued at approximately ₹5 crore and arresting five individuals.
The operation was conducted by the DRI’s Bengaluru Zonal Unit over April 6 and 7 at Terminal 2 of the airport, following specific intelligence inputs. Officials intercepted a well-coordinated network allegedly involving foreign nationals, suspected to be from Bangladesh, working in tandem with local operatives.
According to investigators, the smuggled gold was ingeniously concealed in paste form inside capsule-shaped packets and carried on the body by couriers. The syndicate reportedly exploited airport facilities such as washrooms and designated smoking areas to discreetly transfer the contraband, thereby evading routine Customs scrutiny.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the carriers deliberately chose transit routes through Bengaluru, often with extended layovers. This allowed them sufficient time to hand over the smuggled gold to handlers within the airport premises using pre-arranged passcodes. Authorities also suspect the involvement of an insider who allegedly misused authorised access to restricted zones to facilitate the movement of the contraband out of the airport.
Officials further noted that the syndicate relied heavily on encrypted communication methods, including coded messages and disappearing chats, to avoid detection by enforcement agencies.
The DRI stated that the case appears to be part of a larger cross-border smuggling network involving foreign operatives and domestic collaborators. Efforts are currently underway to identify the masterminds behind the operation and dismantle the entire network.
