Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit, has seized 9.40 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at around Rs 14.81 crore from three passengers arriving from Dubai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, officials said. The passengers were arrested after investigators found that the gold had been converted into fine powder and concealed in packaged food products.
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Acting on specific intelligence, the DRI intercepted the three Indian passengers in the early hours of September 23 with assistance from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Airport Customs.
During a detailed examination of their baggage, officials found approximately 33.50 kg of food products that had been mixed with gold powder. The gold was concealed in several apparently ordinary food packets, including milk powder, oats, different types of flour, Nutella and coconut milk powder.
According to the DRI, the unusual concealment method involved blending powdered gold with food products having similar colour, texture and consistency, apparently to evade routine detection.
The contents of the packets were subsequently segregated and subjected to assaying, following which 9.40 kg of foreign-origin gold was recovered. The gold, valued at approximately Rs 14.81 crore, was seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
During questioning, the three passengers allegedly admitted to working as couriers for the same organised gold-smuggling syndicate. Based on the information gathered during their questioning, the DRI has identified the syndicate and is now probing its wider network, including the handlers involved in arranging the gold and coordinating its transportation from Dubai to Mumbai.
The agency is also examining the passengers' movements and the manner in which the smuggled gold was concealed in the food products before being brought into India. Investigators are probing the role of other persons who may have been involved in receiving or distributing the gold after its arrival in Mumbai.
The operation has brought to light a novel method of gold concealment in which the precious metal was reduced to powder and ingeniously blended with commonly carried packaged food products. The agency is also examining whether the syndicate used the same method in other smuggling operations.
The seizure is part of the DRI's continuing efforts to detect organised gold-smuggling networks and identify methods used to circumvent airport screening and customs checks.
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