FPJ Exclusive: DRI intercepts passengers with 3,535 grams of gold worth ₹2.23 crore in paste form at Mumbai Airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), acting upon specific intelligence regarding a criminal syndicate operating at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), conducted a surveillance operation resulting in the interception of two passengers who had arrived from Dubai on Monday night. The individuals were found to be in possession of 3,535 grams of gold in the form of a paste.

DRI has seized 144 kg gold in six months

In the last six months, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized a total of 144 kg of gold, valued at ₹76.2 crore, at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in 21 cases involving an organised crime syndicate engaged in gold smuggling.

The officials from the revenue intelligence intercepted the suspected passengers upon their arrival from Dubai on Emirates Flight EK 500 at Mumbai Airport. They were selected for examination, and during a personal search, gold in paste form was discovered concealed in four plastic pouches wrapped in black tape within their baggage.

Intercepted contraband was being smuggled by Dubai-based syndicate

According to officials from the DRI, the intercepted contraband consisted of 3,535 grams of gold, valued at ₹2.23 crore, and was being smuggled by a syndicate based in Dubai. It was discovered that both individuals were associated with the same syndicate, which operates out of Dubai. A senior DRI official explained that the gold syndicate is involved in regular and significant smuggling activities, making it a challenging task for officers to consistently detect the smuggling of gold in different forms into the country.

In the previous month, the DRI successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle 16.36 kg of gold in paste form, worth ₹10.16 crore, concealed in the rectums of 19 Sudanese women passengers at Mumbai Airport.

Some of the major gold seizures by DRI at Mumbai Airport in last six months:

November 13, 2022: 61 kg of gold worth ₹32 crore

December 20, 2022: 10.2 kg of gold worth ₹5.1 crore

January 17, 2023: 8.230 kg of gold worth ₹4.54 crore

January 12, 2023: 3 kg of gold worth ₹1.5 crore

January 24, 2023: 1.5 kg of gold worth ₹75 lakh

February 1, 2023: 1.2 kg of gold worth ₹60 lakh

February 14, 2023: 2 kg of gold worth ₹1 crore

February 25, 2023: 2.5 kg of gold worth ₹1.25 crore

March 8, 2023: 1.5 kg of gold worth ₹75 lakh

March 15, 2023: 1 kg of gold worth ₹50 lakh

March 22, 2023: 2 kg of gold worth ₹1 crore

March 29, 2023: 1.5 kg of gold worth ₹75 lakh

April 5, 2023: 1 kg of gold worth ₹50 lakh

April 12, 2023: 1 kg of gold worth ₹50 lakh

April 19, 2023: 1.5 kg of gold worth ₹75 lakh

April 26, 2023: 16.36 kg of gold worth ₹10.16 crore

May 12, 2023: 10 kg of gold worth ₹5.1 crore