Gold dust worth Rs 4.2 crore seized in Dubai-linked smuggling bust in Mumbai

DRI officers intercepted two passengers at Mumbai airport and seized 2.6 kg of gold hidden in wax. The case led to the arrest of a Navi Mumbai jeweller and opened a wider probe into a Dubai-linked syndicate.

In Short

• Officers acted on specific intelligence and laid a trap at the airport
• Personal searches uncovered two pouches of 24-karat gold dust in wax
• Seized gold weighed 2,600 grams and was valued at Rs 4.20 crore

In a major crackdown on organised gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a Dubai-linked syndicate operating through Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and seized 2.6 kg of foreign-origin gold worth Rs 4.2 crore.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, DRI officers laid a trap at the airport and intercepted two passengers suspected of carrying smuggled gold into the country. What initially appeared to be routine baggage clearance soon turned into a significant smuggling bust.

During a personal search, officers recovered two pouches containing gold dust concealed in wax form. The seized gold, found to be of 24-karat purity, had a total net weight of 2,600 grams and an estimated market value of Rs 4.20 crore.

Investigators subsequently uncovered a wider conspiracy stretching from Dubai to Mumbai. The probe revealed that a Navi Mumbai-based jeweller had allegedly played a key role in the operation, coordinating with accomplices to facilitate the illegal movement of gold into India. The jeweller was arrested along with the two passengers involved in the smuggling attempt.

According to DRI officials, the syndicate had devised a method of transporting gold in wax form in an apparent effort to evade customs scrutiny. However, intelligence-based surveillance and swift intervention by enforcement officers thwarted the operation before the precious metal could enter the illegal market.

The seizure comes at a time when the government has tightened duties and taxes on gold to conserve foreign exchange and protect economic interests, making smuggling networks increasingly active in their attempts to bypass legal import channels.

Officials said the operation highlights the DRI's growing intelligence capabilities and its sustained efforts to dismantle organised smuggling networks operating across international borders.

Further investigation is underway to identify additional members of the syndicate and trace the broader smuggling network behind the operation.

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