31 December,2025 09:41 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish Patil
The gold was valued at Rs. 3.89 crore, officials said. Pic/DRI
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday said that it busted a gold smuggling racket at Mumbai airport and seized 3.05 kilograms of smuggled gold.
The gold was valued at Rs. 3.89 crore, officials said.
DRI officers acted on specific intelligence suggesting that foreign-origin gold in wax form was being smuggled into India. The information indicated that the gold would be concealed either on a passenger or inside baggage arriving at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport, Mumbai, on December 31, 2025.
Based on this input, DRI officers kept surveillance at the airport.
An Indian national arriving from Bahrain was intercepted by DRI officers on December 31, 2025. During a detailed examination of his baggage, officers recovered twelve capsules containing gold dust in wax form.
The capsules were cleverly concealed inside a water tumbler, showing a high level of planning to evade detection.
The recovered gold was found to be of 24-carat purity. The total net weight of the gold was 3.05 kg, and its market value was estimated at Rs. 3.89 crore.
The gold was seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is underway to identify others involved in the smuggling network.
The DRI stated that it continues to carry out intelligence-led operations to protect the country's economic interests and curb illegal trade.
