September 10th 2023.
The Mumbai Unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has uncovered a major gold smuggling syndicate and seized a total of 7kg of gold worth an estimated ₹4.50 crore at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The agency has so far arrested six persons allegedly involved in the illegal activities.
The DRI had received intelligence that a passenger arriving from Dubai was carrying contraband with him, which he would leave in the aircraft and an unknown airlines ground staff would then smuggle it out of the airport. Acting on the tip-off, the DRI team intercepted one security executive of an airline company who had two packets containing gold dust in wax form, concealed in his shoes.
The passenger, who had arrived with the gold, was apprehended and he revealed that he had been recruited by a Raigad-based man for the job and was promised ₹50,000. The DRI officials then raided the melting facility of smuggled gold at Kalbadevi and found over 4kg of gold and ₹3.32 lakh in cash.
Another passenger, who was part of the syndicate and had arrived from Phuket, was also intercepted at the airport with smuggled gold. The DRI is now investigating the involvement of other key members and sources for the purchase, sale and distribution of the smuggled gold.
The DRI has also uncovered another major smuggling operation, this time involving ₹32 crore worth of areca nuts disguised as calcium nitrate at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. The agency is currently investigating the case and further details will be available soon.
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