Gold Margin of 15 percent between Dubai and India Pushes Smuggling, Bombay Emerge as Hub

Ø 25 persons arrested in multiple intelligence-led operations across Kolkata, Mumbai, Kerala and other locations

· The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized over 42 kg of foreign-origin gold and around 10 kg of silver, collectively valued at more than ₹65 crore.

· 25 persons, including five foreign nationals, were arrested in intelligence-led operations across Mumbai, Kolkata, Kerala, Guwahati, Tamil Nadu and border areas.

· Smuggling methods included body concealment, specially fabricated cavities, transit passengers, airport personnel, land routes and coastal routes.

Major Seizures:

· Mumbai Airport: 6.85 kg of 24-carat gold dust concealed in wax capsules was seized; six persons, including five foreign nationals and an airport staff member, were arrested.

· Kolkata Airport: 4.87 kg of gold concealed in paste form and 3.36 kg of gold chains were seized in separate cases.

· West Bengal Border: 15.61 kg of foreign-origin gold bars was recovered in Nadia district.

· Kerala: DRI seized 1.78 kg of gold at Cochin Airport and 549 grams at Calicut Airport, with passengers arrested in both cases.

· Indo-Bangladesh Border: Separate operations resulted in seizures of 935 grams and 1.74 kg of gold.

· Kolkata Domestic Operation: 1.48 kg of gold in paste form was recovered, with five persons, including a handler, arrested.

· Guwahati: 3.84 kg of foreign-origin gold was seized, and two persons were arrested.

· Tamil Nadu: DRI seized 1.36 kg of gold and nearly 10 kg of silver, allegedly smuggled through the coastal route from Sri Lanka, and arrested three persons.

· The nationwide operations highlight DRI's continued focus on disrupting organised gold-smuggling networks and intercepting illicit precious metals at airports, land borders and coastal routes.

[ABS News Service/01.09.2026]

Continuing its sustained crackdown on organised gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has, in a series of intelligence-led operations across the country in recent days, seized over 42 kg foreign-origin gold, and around 10 kg Silver, collectively valued at more than Rs. 65 crore, and arrested 25 persons including 5 foreign nationals.

The operations have exposed diverse and sophisticated modus operandi, including concealment in specially fabricated vehicle cavities, body concealment, use of transit passengers and airport personnel, and smuggling through land and coastal routes.

Major operation at Mumbai Airport

On 28/29.08.26, DRI unearthed a well-organised syndicate involved in smuggling foreign-origin gold through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. The syndicate involved foreign nationals transiting through Mumbai from destinations including Dubai, Bangkok and Male, as well as an airport staff member facilitating clandestine removal of the smuggled gold at Mumbai. A total of 16 capsules containing 6.85 kg of 24-carat gold dust in wax form, were recovered and seized.

The operation resulted in the arrest of six persons, comprising of five foreign nationals who were transiting through Mumbai and one airport staff member. The operation once again highlights that organised networks are increasingly exploiting transit routes and airport personnel for clandestine removal of smuggled gold.

Major seizures in Kolkata/West Bengal

On 29,08,26, in two separate intelligence-led operations at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata, officers of DRI intercepted two passengers travelling from Bangkok and Dubai respectively, suspected to be part of gold-smuggling syndicates.

In a case involving two passengers coming from Dubai, 4.87 kg gold was recovered after semi-solid gold-containing paste was found concealed in the undergarments and jeans of two passengers. The material was melted and the extracted gold in bar form was seized. Both passengers were arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

In another case, involving flight coming from Bangkok, 3.36 kg foreign-origin gold was recovered in the form of 11 raw chains from one passenger, which had allegedly been handed over to him by the second passenger for crossing the Green Channel. Both passengers were arrested.

On the same day, in another case, the DRI seized 125 pieces of foreign-origin gold bars weighing 15.61 kg. It was recovered by troops of Border Security Force (BSF), at BOP Tungi from a woman during a surprise search of her residential premise in Banpur village, Nadia district. During investigation by DRI, the woman admitted to her involvement in the alleged smuggling activity along with the men of the house. The woman was arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

Two more seizures in Kerala

In two separate operations in Kerala on 29.08.2026, DRI Cochin Zonal Unit and its Calicut Regional Unit intercepted passengers arriving from Ras Al Khaimah and Jeddah respectively. At Cochin International Airport, 1.78 kg gold, was extracted from two packets of gold in compound form concealed on the person of a passenger arriving from Ras Al Khaimah; the passenger was arrested.

At Calicut International Airport, DRI officers, along with the Air Intelligence Unit, detected 549 grams of 24-carat foreign-origin gold, concealed in especially created cavities inside the heavy alloy portion of an iron box carried by a passenger arriving from Jeddah. The gold was seized under the Customs Act,1962 and the passenger was arrested.

Earlier in the week, on 26–27.08.2026, DRI, in coordination with BSF, also effected several significant seizures of foreign-origin gold along the Indo-Bangladesh border, The officers of DRI Unit seized 935 grams and 1.74 kg foreign-origin gold in two separate operations, resulting in the arrest of one person in each case.

In another operation in Kolkata, 1.48 kg foreign-origin (FO) gold in paste form, allegedly smuggled from Thailand, was recovered by officers of DRI from four persons. who were found to be carrying smuggled FO Gold in paste form in 5 capsules secreted in their rectum/ body during aa domestic road trip. All four persons and their handler were arrested.

In Guwahati, DRI seized 3.84 kg foreign-origin gold bars allegedly smuggled through the Indo-Bangladesh border in the Tripura sector and arrested two persons including a lady.

Further, in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, DRI seized 1.360 kg foreign-origin gold and 9.99 kg foreign-origin silver, allegedly smuggled through the coastal route from Sri Lanka, and arrested three persons.

DRI's intelligence-led and coordinated enforcement actions continue to disrupt these networks at multiple stages of the smuggling chain and prevent the illicit movement of precious metals into the country.