Specific intelligence was received that a syndicate of airport staff employed at the food court at the international airport, Mumbai was involved in smuggling of gold by retrieving it from International transit passengers and delivering it outside the airport.

Consignments Intercepted

Acting on the intelligence, the officers of DRI Mumbai maintained surveillance at the airport and intercepted two such consignments of smuggled gold when they were being delivered outside the airport. 3 airport staff members who were delivering the gold and three receivers were also apprehended. 

On examination, 24 oval-shaped balls of gold dust in wax form were found in 8 pouches. On assaying, 12.5 Kg( Net Weight) of gold valued at Rs 9.95 Cr was recovered. 

Recovered 12.5 kg of gold dust in wax form valued at Rs 9.95 Cr was seized and all 6 persons were arrested, under the provisions of the Customs Act,1962.

With the apprehension of 6 persons, including 3 persons working at the airport in various capacities, a very big syndicate involved in gold smuggling has been busted. 

In the last two days, DRI Mumbai had seized approximately 36 Kg of smuggled gold, dealing a severe blow to the smuggling syndicates.

Days after comedian Sunil Pal was kidnapped near Meerut, actor Mushtaq Khan has revealed that he too was kidnapped in a similar fashion on November 20. The actor’s business partner stated that Khan was tortured for 12 hours before he could escape.

Khan’s business partner Shivam Yadav stated that the actor was called for an award show in Meerut on November 20. He even received the advance payment in his bank account and flight ticket details. However, when the Stree 2 actor landed in Delhi, he was made to sit in a car, which was then driven to the outskirts of Delhi, near Bijnor, and the actor was kidnapped.

The report stated that the Welcome actor was kidnapped and tortured for 12 hours, and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore. They then took Rs 2 lakh from the actor and his son’s account.

The next morning, Khan heard azaan at the place where he was held captive, and realising that a mosque was nearby, he managed to run away from the place and reached the mosque. He then sought help from the people there, who contacted the police, and Khan managed to return home.

Yadav said that they are now in the process of filing an FIR and they have all the proofs of flight tickets, bank account transactions and CCTV footage from outside Delhi airport. “Khan also recognises the neigbhourhood, even the house where he was kept. I think the police team will surely get the culprits soon,” he said.

It was only last week that comedian Sunil Pal was invited for an event in Delhi, but was then kidnapped and taken to Meerut. He was eventually let go after he paid a ransom of Rs 7.5 lakh.

Mumbai: During the financial year 2023-24, DRI seized 1,319kg gold across the country in multiple cases, with the land route contributing 55% of the seizures and the air route around 36%. According to DRI data, smuggling syndicates have increasingly employed carriers to transport smaller quantities of gold, reducing potential losses in case of interception.

“Gold smuggling in India has evolved with smuggling syndicates now employing ‘mules’ with diverse profiles, including foreign nationals and families, alongside insiders. Smuggling syndicates even leverage international departure gates, where airport workers and other staff collude in smuggling gold from transit passengers. Air routes into India also remain a prominent method smugglers use, with Middle East and Southeast Asian countries traditionally being the major points of origin. Recently, airports in certain African and Central Asian countries have also emerged as key locations for smuggling operations,” the DRI stated in its report.

“India has become a major destination for illicit gold imports, with gold and silver predominantly originating from Gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where these metals are sourced and available at lower prices. Smuggling through India’s porous eastern borders, particularly with Bangladesh and Myanmar, has also emerged as a major concern for law enforcement agencies. Gold is smuggled into India through two primary methods: commercial smuggling, where export and import schemes are exploited to evade duties, and outright smuggling, where gold is concealed to avoid detection. Smuggling networks are highly organised, and the use of complex routes and well-coordinated operations makes gold smuggling into India a persistent challenge for enforcement agencies,” the report stated.

“Smugglers frequently use passengers to conceal gold innovatively, including hiding it in their clothing, luggage, or even within their bodies, to evade customs detection. Gold in bar and solid form remains a prevalent method of smuggling into India. Smuggling gold in paste form continues to be a significant challenge. Smugglers melt pure gold, adulterate it with impurities, transform it into a solution, dry it, and then convert it into a paste. This paste form is easier to smuggle, often disguised as harmless substances or hidden within legitimate goods,” the report stated.