Gold Import Tied to Diamond
Export Detected at Bombay Airport, Staffer Passenger Link Found
Ř Seizure of around 8.5 kg
foreign-origin gold and more than 1,100 carats of diamonds worth over Rs. 13.5
crore; 8 arrested
Ř Airport staff found facilitating both
smuggling of gold into India and illicit export of diamonds to Dubai
·
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
uncovered a sophisticated two-way smuggling network at Mumbai's
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
·
8 people were arrested, including:
o
1 airport staff member
o
6 international transit passengers
o
1 outbound Indian passenger
·
DRI seized:
o
8.564 kg of 24-carat foreign-origin gold worth about
₹12.64 crore
o
1,168.97 carats of diamonds worth about
₹1.09 crore
o
Total seizure value exceeded ₹13.5 crore.
·
On 30 September 2026, DRI intercepted an
airport employee attempting to hand over diamonds to a passenger travelling to Dubai
for illegal export.
·
The airport staff member was also found carrying three
capsules of smuggled gold dust mixed with wax.
·
Investigation revealed that the staff member was
receiving smuggled gold from transit passengers arriving from Dubai, Doha,
Jeddah, and Fujairah.
·
DRI maintained surveillance and intercepted five
additional transit passengers while they were handing over gold capsules.
·
The transit passengers were scheduled to continue
their journeys to Singapore and Dhaka after delivering the contraband.
·
In total, 23 gold capsules containing smuggled
foreign-origin gold were recovered.
·
The seized diamonds included:
o
132.17 carats of natural diamonds
o
1,036.80 carats of lab-grown diamonds
·
The case exposed the role of a compromised airport
insider in facilitating both:
o
Smuggling of foreign-origin gold into India, and
o
Illegal export of diamonds to Dubai.
·
All accused have been arrested under the Customs
Act, 1962.
One-Line
Summary:
DRI dismantled a major two-way smuggling racket at
Mumbai Airport, seizing gold and diamonds worth over ₹13.5 crore and
arresting eight individuals, including an airport employee involved in both
import and export smuggling operations.
[ABS News Service/03.10.2026]
Continuing its sustained crackdown on
organised smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a
sophisticated two-way smuggling syndicate operating through Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, resulting in the seizure of 8.564 kg of
24-carat foreign-origin gold valued at approximately Rs. 12.64 crore and
1,168.97 carats of diamonds valued at approximately Rs. 1.09 crore. Eight
persons, including an airport staff member, six transit passengers and an
Indian outbound passenger, have been arrested.
On 30.09.26, acting on specific
intelligence, DRI officers intercepted an airport staff member in the departure
area while he was handing over diamonds to an Indian passenger travelling to
Dubai for their illicit export from India. During his personal search, the
airport staff was also found carrying three capsules containing foreign-origin
gold dust in wax form, which had been handed over to him by a transit
passenger.
During further interrogation, the
airport staff disclosed the identity of the transit passenger who had handed
over the gold to him. The said passenger was subsequently intercepted. The
airport staff further revealed that five more transit passengers arriving on
different flights from Dubai, Doha, Jeddah and Fujairah were also scheduled to
deliver smuggled gold to him.
DRI officers maintained discreet
surveillance and intercepted all five passengers while they were handing over
gold capsules to the airport staff in the transit area. The passengers were
travelling onward to Singapore and Dhaka after delivering the smuggled gold.
All eight persons have been arrested under the relevant provisions of the
Customs Act, 1962.
In all, 23 capsules containing
24-carat foreign-origin gold dust in wax form, weighing 8.564 kg gross and
valued at approximately Rs.12.64 crore, were recovered and seized. In addition,
1,168.97 carats of diamonds, comprising 132.17 carats of natural diamonds and
1,036.80 carats of lab-grown diamonds, collectively valued at approximately
Rs.1.09 crore, were recovered and seized. The operation once again highlighted
the insider threat involving compromised airport staff in facilitating gold
smuggling through airports.
The operation has uncovered a
distinctive two-way modus operandi, wherein the same airport staff member was
allegedly facilitating the movement of contraband in both directions—receiving
smuggled foreign-origin gold from international transit passengers for
clandestine removal into India, while simultaneously facilitating the illicit
export of diamonds to Dubai through an outbound passenger.