The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 42 kg of foreign-origin gold and around 10 kg of silver, worth over ₹65 crore combined, in a coordinated nationwide crackdown on suspected gold-smuggling networks. The operations, spanning multiple locations, also led to the arrest of 25 people, including five foreign nationals.
A Wide Range of Smuggling Methods Uncovered
Across the various seizures, DRI officials say they encountered several distinct methods allegedly used to move foreign-origin gold into and across India, everything from concealment inside vehicles and body concealment to airport channels and land or coastal routes, illustrating just how varied and adaptable these networks have become.
125 Gold Bars Found in a Village Home in West Bengal
One of the largest single seizures came from Nadia district in West Bengal, where authorities recovered 125 foreign-origin gold bars weighing 15.61 kg from the residence of a woman in a village near the India-Bangladesh border. The recovery was made during a search operation conducted jointly with the Border Security Force, and the woman was subsequently arrested after authorities alleged she was involved in the smuggling operation alongside a male associate. The location itself is notable, using a residential home well away from major transport hubs points to how these networks try to keep storage and movement points as low-profile as possible.
Nearly 7 Kg of Gold Hidden in Wax in Mumbai
In Mumbai, DRI officials uncovered a significant consignment involving 6.85 kg of 24-carat gold concealed inside wax, reportedly packed into 16 capsules and linked to a suspected smuggling network operating through Mumbai airport. The investigation allegedly revealed connections to passengers travelling from Dubai, Bangkok, and Malaysia.
Six people were arrested in connection with this particular operation, including five foreign nationals and an airport employee allegedly assisting the network, a detail that has understandably raised concerns about the possible involvement of airport insiders in facilitating smuggled gold movement through official channels.
Gold Concealed on the Body Itself
DRI also intercepted passengers using more unconventional, direct concealment methods. At Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, two passengers arriving from Dubai were intercepted with around 4.87 kg of gold concealed in their clothing, reportedly including their undergarments and jeans.
In a separate Kolkata operation, officials recovered 1.48 kg of foreign-origin gold allegedly smuggled from Thailand, concealed inside capsules carried within the bodies of four passengers travelling by land. Those passengers, along with an alleged handler, were arrested in connection with the operation.
Border and Coastal Routes Also Targeted
The crackdown extended well beyond airports. Along the India-Bangladesh border, DRI seized 935 grams and 1.74 kg of gold in two separate operations, arresting one person in each. Officials also recovered 3.84 kg of gold in Guwahati, while in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, authorities seized 1.36 kg of gold and 9.99 kg of silver in an operation tied to a suspected coastal smuggling route originating from Sri Lanka.
Why This Crackdown Matters
Taken together, these seizures illustrate just how varied and geographically spread out foreign-origin gold smuggling into India has become, spanning airport operations, body concealment, border crossings, residential storage, and coastal routes, sometimes all as part of the same broader network. The DRI's nationwide action underscores both the scale of the problem and the genuine operational challenge enforcement agencies face in tracking networks that deliberately spread their activity across multiple routes and jurisdictions to avoid detection.
FAQs
Q1. How much gold and silver did DRI seize in this crackdown?
More than 42 kg of foreign-origin gold and around 10 kg of silver, together valued at over ₹65 crore.
Q2. How many people were arrested across these operations?
25 people were arrested, including five foreign nationals.
Q3. What was the largest single seizure in this crackdown?
125 foreign-origin gold bars weighing 15.61 kg, recovered from a residential home in Nadia district, West Bengal, near the India-Bangladesh border.
Q4. What smuggling methods did DRI uncover?
Concealment in vehicles, wax, capsules carried inside the body, and clothing, along with movement through airports, land borders, and coastal routes.