DRI busts two-way gold, diamond smuggling racket at Mumbai airport; 8 held

Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted an alleged two-way gold and diamond smuggling syndicate operating through Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, seizing contraband worth over ₹13.5 crore and arresting eight people, including an airport staff member.

The seizures comprised 8.564 kg of 24-carat foreign-origin gold valued at around ₹12.64 crore and 1,168.97 carats of diamonds worth approximately ₹1.09 crore, the DRI said in a statement issued on October 2.

The operation was carried out on September 30 following specific intelligence inputs. DRI officers intercepted an airport staff member in the departure area while he was allegedly handing over diamonds to an Indian passenger bound for Dubai for illicit export.

A search of the staff member also led to the recovery of three capsules containing foreign-origin gold dust concealed in wax. The gold had allegedly been handed to him by a transit passenger.

During questioning, the staff member disclosed details of the passenger and revealed that five other transit passengers arriving from Dubai, Doha, Jeddah and Fujairah were also expected to deliver smuggled gold.

Acting on the information, DRI officers kept the suspects under surveillance and intercepted the five passengers while they were allegedly handing over gold capsules to the staff member in the airport’s transit area. The passengers were travelling onward to Singapore and Dhaka.

In total, officials recovered 23 capsules containing gold dust in wax form, weighing 8.564 kg gross. The seized diamonds included 132.17 carats of natural diamonds and 1,036.80 carats of lab-grown diamonds.

The eight arrested include the airport staff member, six transit passengers and an Indian passenger travelling to Dubai. They have been arrested under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

According to the DRI, the investigation revealed an alleged two-way smuggling operation in which the airport employee facilitated the movement of foreign-origin gold into India while also arranging the illicit export of diamonds to Dubai. The case has highlighted concerns over the alleged involvement of compromised airport personnel in organised smuggling networks.