Mumbai has emerged as India’s biggest hotspot for gold smuggling through airports during the financial year 2024–25, surpassing all other locations in both the quantity of gold seized and the number of cases detected, according to the latest annual report of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
The report states that gold smuggling activity during 2024–25 remained heavily concentrated in a few key states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal. These states act as major entry points and redistribution hubs owing to their strategic geographical location, high volume of international flights, and extensive transit connectivity. Among them, Mumbai stood out as the single largest centre for airport-linked gold smuggling operations.
During the year, the DRI seized 1,073 kilograms of gold across India, with an estimated market value of approximately ₹785 crore. A significant share of these seizures was linked to Mumbai, underlining the city’s central role in organised smuggling networks.
According to the DRI, gold smuggling syndicates operate through a highly structured and organised network. Masterminds finance the operations and recruit carriers, who are tasked with transporting gold concealed in various forms into India. Once the gold reaches the country, handlers take over delivery and distribution to key members of the network.
Air routes, particularly flights originating from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, continue to be the primary channels for smuggling gold into India. Smugglers exploit diverse passenger profiles, including ordinary travellers, women, airline crew members and even family groups, to evade detection. The report notes that smugglers frequently use concealment methods such as hiding gold in aircraft cavities for later retrieval by crew or passengers.
In some cases, gold is concealed within the aircraft during international legs and retrieved by passengers during domestic segments. Transit passengers are also used to carry smuggled gold through body concealment and hand it over to associates or airport staff at destination airports.
The DRI highlighted an increasing trend of sophisticated concealment techniques. Smuggled gold, particularly when not in foreign-origin bar form, is often melted into 24-carat bars at illicit facilities, sold domestically, converted into jewellery, and then integrated into the legal market. One of the more dangerous methods identified involves moulding gold in wax form into small capsules, which are then inserted into the human body to bypass security checks.
The gender profile of gold smugglers also revealed notable trends. While the majority of apprehended carriers during 2024–25 were male, the presence of women accounted for nearly one-tenth of those arrested, pointing towards a growing involvement of female carriers in smuggling operations.
In terms of international linkages, carriers from Kenya and Iran contributed modestly to the overall smuggling activity. However, isolated cases involving carriers from Thailand, Turkey, Afghanistan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and the United States were also recorded, indicating the global spread of smuggling networks feeding into India.
The DRI has emphasised that Mumbai’s status as a major international aviation hub makes it particularly vulnerable to gold smuggling. The agency continues to strengthen intelligence gathering, passenger profiling and inter-agency coordination to counter the evolving tactics used by smuggling syndicates.
The report underscores the need for continued vigilance and advanced risk management systems at airports, as gold smuggling remains a high-value crime with significant implications for the economy and national security.
Read More: CAG Flags Rs. 725 Crore Revenue Loss Due to Irregular MEIS and SEIS Incentives
