New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 42 kg of foreign-origin gold and around 10 kg of silver, collectively valued at over Rs. 65 crore, in a series of intelligence-led operations across multiple locations, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Kerala, Guwahati and Tamil Nadu.
The operations, conducted in recent days, have resulted in the arrest of 25 persons, including five foreign nationals, and exposed several methods being used by organised smuggling networks to move precious metals into the country.
The seizures involved gold concealed in vehicle cavities, on passengers’ bodies, in specially modified containers and through transit routes, as well as consignments moved through land and coastal routes.
Mumbai airport operation leads to six arrests
One of the major operations was carried out at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on August 28 and 29. DRI officials uncovered a network allegedly using foreign nationals transiting through Mumbai from Dubai, Bangkok and Male to smuggle gold, with the alleged assistance of an airport staff member.
Officials recovered 16 capsules containing 6.85 kg of 24-carat gold dust in wax form. Six people were arrested in the operation, including five foreign nationals and an airport staff member.
Multiple seizures reported in Kolkata and West Bengal
On August 29, DRI teams carried out separate operations at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata involving passengers arriving from Bangkok and Dubai.
In one case, 4.87 kg of gold was recovered from two passengers after gold-containing semi-solid paste was found concealed in their undergarments and jeans. The material was subsequently melted and the extracted gold was seized in bar form. Both passengers were arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.
In another case involving a passenger arriving from Bangkok, DRI recovered 3.36 kg of foreign-origin gold in the form of 11 raw chains. The gold had allegedly been handed over by another passenger for passage through the Green Channel. Both passengers were arrested.
Another operation in Nadia district resulted in the seizure of 125 foreign-origin gold bars weighing 15.61 kg. The consignment was recovered by Border Security Force personnel during a search of a woman’s residential premises in Banpur village. The woman was subsequently arrested following the DRI investigation.
DRI and BSF teams also seized 935 grams and 1.74 kg of foreign-origin gold in two separate operations along the Indo-Bangladesh border earlier in the week. One person was arrested in each case.
Kerala, Guwahati and Tamil Nadu operations
In Kerala, DRI teams conducted two operations on August 29. At Cochin International Airport, 1.78 kg of gold was extracted from two packets containing gold in compound form that had allegedly been concealed on a passenger arriving from Ras Al Khaimah. The passenger was arrested.
At Calicut International Airport, DRI officials, working with the Air Intelligence Unit, recovered 549 grams of 24-carat foreign-origin gold concealed inside specially created cavities in the heavy alloy portion of an iron box carried by a passenger arriving from Jeddah. The passenger was arrested.
In another Kolkata operation, DRI officials recovered 1.48 kg of foreign-origin gold in paste form, allegedly smuggled from Thailand. Four people were found carrying the gold in five capsules concealed in their bodies during a domestic road journey. The four individuals and their alleged handler were arrested.
In Guwahati, DRI seized 3.84 kg of foreign-origin gold bars allegedly smuggled through the Indo-Bangladesh border in the Tripura sector. Two people, including a woman, were arrested.
In Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, DRI officials seized 1.360 kg of foreign-origin gold and 9.99 kg of foreign-origin silver in a case involving an alleged coastal smuggling route from Sri Lanka. Three people were arrested.
The latest operations form part of DRI’s continuing intelligence-led enforcement against organised gold smuggling networks. The agency is targeting different points in the supply chain, from cross-border movement and transit routes to concealment and attempts to bring smuggled precious metals into the domestic market.
BI Bureau
