Pan-India DRI operations bust smuggling network; gold, heroin, e-cigarettes among major seizures

New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has carried out a series of intelligence-based operations across the country, seizing gold, narcotics, wildlife products, e-cigarettes and other contraband while arresting 20 persons, including five foreign nationals, involved in organised smuggling and transnational trafficking networks.

The biggest gold seizure took place at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, where DRI officials intercepted two foreign nationals arriving from Dubai and recovered 4 kg of foreign-origin gold bars concealed in specially fabricated cavities inside passenger trolleys. Additional operations along the Indo-Bangladesh border, as well as in Varanasi, Delhi and Tamil Nadu, led to the seizure of another 5.5 kg of gold. In total, 9.5 kg of gold worth around ₹14 crore was seized and nine persons were arrested.

In the narcotics crackdown, DRI, with assistance from the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police, seized 2.7 kg of heroin near Churachandpur. Separate operations in Mumbai, Delhi and Calicut resulted in the recovery of MDMA tablets, amphetamine crystals and around 25 kg of hydroponic weed, leading to the arrest of four accused, including foreign nationals.

The agency also seized 14 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin Guggul resin that had allegedly been imported using forged documents, and recovered 4.8 metric tonnes of red sanders logs worth about ₹2.5 crore from a truck near Chennai, arresting five persons.

In separate operations, DRI recovered 9,230 prohibited e-cigarettes worth about ₹3.7 crore at Nhava Sheva Port and seized 14.5 metric tonnes of foreign-origin poppy seeds and 14 metric tonnes of areca nuts near the Indo-Myanmar border in Mizoram.

The DRI said the operations exposed sophisticated concealment techniques used by organised smuggling syndicates and reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling cross-border trafficking networks.