Rs 38 crore gold seized, 24 women arrested at Mumbai airport smuggling racket bust

The DRI busted a major gold smuggling syndicate at Mumbai airport, seizing 29.37 kg of gold worth around ₹38 crore and arresting 24 women carriers arriving from Nairobi.

In Short

• DRI Mumbai seized 29.37 kg gold worth Rs 37.74 crore
• 24 female carriers arrested arriving from Nairobi
• Gold bars and jewellery recovered from passengers

In a major crackdown on organised gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a syndicate, seizing 29.37 kg of gold valued at Rs 37.74 crore and arresting 24 carriers.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers identified a group of female carriers arriving from Nairobi who were attempting to smuggle large quantities of gold through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

Under Operation Dhahabu Blitz, 24 foreign nationals were intercepted. Swift and coordinated enforcement action led to the recovery of 25.10 kg of gold bars and 4.27 kg of gold jewellery from their bags and clothes.

According to officials, the case reveals a highly organised syndicate using trained carriers and coordinated methods to evade detection. The women were specifically trained to conceal the gold and bypass airport checks, indicating a well-planned network designed to beat security systems.

The DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit carried out the operation on Wednesday following a tip-off about women arriving from Nairobi, Kenya, with hidden gold. Officials said the bust could be among the biggest at Mumbai airport this year. The term “Dhahabu,” used for the operation, means gold in Swahili.

The arrested women will be produced in court, and further investigation is underway to identify and caught the kingpins behind the racket.

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