DRI busts major gold smuggling racket at Mumbai airport, 24 women arrested

In a major crackdown on organised gold smuggling , the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a sophisticated smuggling network at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport , seizing nearly 30 kilograms of gold valued at around ₹38 crore and arresting 24 foreign nationals acting as carriers.

The operation, carried out under the code name “Operation Dhahabu Blitz,” was based on specific intelligence inputs received by DRI officials. Investigators had identified a group of passengers arriving from Nairobi, Kenya , suspected of attempting to smuggle a large quantity of gold into India.

Acting swiftly, DRI officers intercepted the passengers at the airport and conducted detailed checks. The operation resulted in the seizure of 25.10 kg of gold bars and 4.27 kg of gold jewellery , bringing the total haul to 29.37 kilograms of gold , estimated to be worth ₹37.74 crore in the international market.

Officials revealed that the smuggling attempt was not an isolated incident but part of a highly organised syndicate operating across international routes . According to investigators, the network relied on trained carriers and coordinated travel patterns to move precious metals across borders while attempting to evade customs checks.

The arrested individuals were reportedly acting as carriers for the smuggling syndicate , transporting the gold in concealed forms while travelling on international flights. Authorities are now probing the larger network behind the operation, including possible handlers, financiers, and logistics coordinators involved in the illegal trade.

Gold smuggling has long been a concern for Indian authorities as it undermines the country’s economic and fiscal systems , particularly by bypassing import duties and fuelling illegal financial networks.

The DRI stated that it remains firmly committed to dismantling organised smuggling syndicates and preventing such activities that threaten the nation’s economic security.

Further investigations are underway to identify the masterminds and wider links of the syndicate, as officials continue to tighten surveillance on international smuggling routes.