DRI Thwarts Gold Smuggling with Major Nationwide Seizures
In an extensive enforcement effort, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has successfully dismantled networks involved in organized gold smuggling across India. In a series of strategic operations, over 42 kg of foreign-origin gold and approximately 10 kg of silver, valued at over Rs. 65 crore, were seized. As a result, 25 individuals, including five foreign nationals, were arrested during these operations.
The DRI’s recent actions reveal the complexity and variety of methods employed by smugglers, including hidden compartments in vehicles, body concealment, and the involvement of transit passengers and airport staff. Smuggling routes have increasingly exploited both land and coastal pathways, raising eyebrows about security measures in place.
Significant Discoveries at Mumbai Airport
On the night of August 28-29, 2026, DRI officials exposed a sophisticated smuggling ring operating through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. This well-coordinated syndicate included foreign nationals arriving from cities like Dubai, Bangkok, and Male. During the operation, authorities unveiled 16 capsules containing 6.85 kg of 24-carat gold dust concealed in wax form. Six individuals were detained, comprising five foreign national transiting through Mumbai and one airport staff member.
Major Seizures in Kolkata
On August 29, 2026, the DRI executed two significant operations at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. Officers apprehended two passengers arriving from Bangkok and Dubai, suspected of participating in gold smuggling syndicates.
In one case, 4.87 kg of gold was recovered from two travelers, who concealed semi-solid gold paste within their undergarments. The DRI melted this substance to extract the gold, prompting immediate arrests under the Customs Act of 1962. In another instance, a passenger arriving from Bangkok was found with 3.36 kg of gold, disguised as raw chains, which he received from an accomplice. Both passengers were subsequently arrested.
On the same day, in a separate investigation, the DRI seized 125 pieces of foreign-origin gold bars weighing 15.61 kg in Nadia district. This seizure was executed with the aid of the Border Security Force (BSF), and a woman was jailed after admitting her involvement in the smuggling activities.
Two More Operations in Kerala
Later that day, two additional operations in Kerala uncovered more smuggling attempts. At Cochin International Airport, officers intercepted a passenger from Ras Al Khaimah, seizing 1.78 kg of gold concealed in packets on the individual. That same day, Calicut International Airport saw the arrest of a traveler who concealed 549 grams of gold in a specially designed cavity of an iron box.
Earlier in the week, DRI operations around the Indo-Bangladesh border led to the confiscation of 935 grams and 1.74 kg of gold in separate cases. Similarly, additional gold smuggling attempts were foiled in Kolkata and Guwahati, showcasing the DRI’s robust actions against illicit trade.
Overall, these successful operations highlight DRI’s ongoing commitment to disrupting smuggling networks at multiple levels and preventing the transportation of precious metals into India.
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