Officers of the Mumbai Airport Commissionerate under Mumbai Customs Zone–III have seized 2.277 kilograms of 24KT gold collectively valued at more than ₹3.15 crore from two passengers arriving from Dubai during duty operations conducted between 9 May 2026 and 10 May 2026. The seizures were made in two separate cases involving attempts to smuggle gold into India through concealed methods.
According to Customs officials, both passengers were intercepted based on intelligence inputs and suspicious behaviour upon arrival at the airport. Detailed examination and personal searches allegedly led to the recovery of smuggled gold in concealed forms intended to evade customs duty and mandatory declarations.
In the first case, Customs officers recovered concealed gold from a passenger who had arrived from Dubai and was allegedly attempting to bring the precious metal into India without declaration. During questioning, the passenger reportedly claimed that the ongoing geopolitical tensions linked to the U.S.-Iran conflict had influenced the decision to illegally relocate assets in the form of gold. Officials stated that the passenger attempted to use the international travel route to move high-value assets into India while bypassing customs procedures.
In another case, officers detected a more sophisticated concealment technique where gold in paste form had allegedly been hidden inside a cigarette packet. The gold paste was carefully packed to avoid detection during routine screening and baggage checks. However, vigilant officers reportedly identified inconsistencies during examination, leading to the recovery of the concealed contraband.
Customs authorities stated that the combined recovery from both cases amounted to 2.277 kg of 24KT gold with an estimated market value exceeding ₹3.15 crore. The seized gold was confiscated under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Both passengers were subsequently arrested for alleged violations relating to smuggling and evasion of customs duty. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the gold, possible syndicate involvement, and whether the accused had links to organised smuggling networks operating through Gulf routes.
The latest seizure once again highlights the continuing trend of gold smuggling through Indian airports, particularly from Dubai and other Gulf destinations. Customs authorities have in recent months intensified surveillance on international arrivals amid repeated attempts to smuggle gold in innovative forms such as paste, body concealment, electronic items, clothing layers, and daily-use objects.
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