GOLD SMUGGLING IN MUMBAI
Mumbai airport: 30 kg gold worth Rs 38 crore caught by customs from 24 women. Here's how they concealed gold bars and jewellery
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 29.37 kg of gold worth Rs 37.74 crore and arrested 24 carriers at Mumbai Airport. This major bust, 'Operation Dhahabu Blitz', targeted a syndicate of female carriers arriving from Nairobi. Separately, DRI also uncovered a sophisticated gold smuggling network at Bengaluru Airport, seizing Rs 5 crore worth of gold.
In hawala universe, it's a partial eclipse of dollar
The Indian money market's hawala sector is experiencing an unusual discount on the dollar-rupee exchange rate, a shift attributed to stalled flights and reduced trade with the Gulf. This irregular market, typically seeing a dollar premium, is now operating 1-2% below official rates, impacting informal remittance channels.
Pune flyers may soon benefit from govt's fast track immigration system
International passengers flying out of Pune airport may soon experience shorter immigration waits. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol will advocate for the Fast Track Immigration system. This initiative aims to expedite clearance for pre-verified travelers. Discussions are underway with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The program is already operational at several other Indian airports.
Budget 2026: The great game of gold is at play. Will Sitharaman play her hand?
India’s upcoming Union Budget has drawn attention as gold prices continue to surge, making policy decisions on import duties sensitive for consumers. Gold posted its strongest global performance in decades in 2025, driven by safe-haven demand, US rate cuts and a weaker dollar.
Passenger held with Rs 6.3 crore gold hidden in his shoes at Mumbai airport
DRI officials at Mumbai airport apprehended a passenger arriving from Bangkok, discovering 6.7 kg of concealed gold bars worth Rs 6.3 crore hidden in his shoes. The passenger was promptly arrested. Following this, authorities also arrested a prospective buyer in Mumbai, identified as part of the gold smuggling operation, further dismantling the syndicate's network.
Ranya Rao gold smuggling case: Court sends accused Sahil Jain to 14-day judicial custody
Ranya Rao Gold smuggling case | The Special Court for Economic Offenses has sent Sahil Jain, the third accused in the Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case, to 14-day judicial custody. The DRI presented him before the court today after his custody period ended.
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Gold smuggling boom: Is it time to scrap import duties?
India faces a significant issue with gold smuggling, driven by the high price difference between international and domestic markets, and cultural obsession with the precious metal. Both policy changes and enhanced vigilance are required to curb smuggling, which harms the economy. Consideration of duty reduction or duty-free imports may help mitigate the problem.
Nirmala Sitharaman applauds Mumbai airport customs for seizing smuggled gold worth Rs 1.48 crore
Customs officials at Mumbai's CSMI Airport seized over 2 kg of smuggled gold worth ₹1.48 crore in two separate incidents. One passenger concealed gold dust within their body cavity, while an airport staff member was caught with gold received from a transit passenger. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised the officials' vigilance. Both individuals were arrested, and investigations are ongoing.
Mumbai customs seize diamonds, gold hidden in noodles, body parts
Customs at Mumbai airport seize diamonds and gold worth Rs 6.46 crore, concealed ingeniously in passengers' belongings. Four individuals arrested after officials intercept 6.815 kg gold and Rs 2.02 crore worth of diamonds. Smuggling methods varied: diamonds hidden in noodles, gold in body parts. In a separate incident, Bengaluru Customs detain passenger for attempting to smuggle 10 yellow anacondas from Bangkok, emphasizing zero tolerance for wildlife trafficking.
All that glitters is not good gold: Inside India's yellow metal smuggling scene
Gold gets smuggled into the country in a hundred ways. A carrier can hide it in their body, stitch it inside their clothing, conceal it in their shoes, jackets or special belts, or simply carry it in their pockets.
Gold worth more than Rs 5 crore seized at Mumbai airport, six Sudanese nationals held
The air intelligence unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs, led by deputy commissioner Manudev Jain, seized the gold from a group of Sudanese passengers, who arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in an Emirates flight from Dubai on Saturday, the official said.
Myanmar, Bangladesh new favoured route for gold smugglers
DRI seized 212 kilos of contraband gold in Mumbai in fiscal year 2019 (FY19) and, in the current fiscal to date, the tally in the city stands at 132 kilos.
DRI raids Mumbai traders suspected of dealing in smuggled gold
Under Section 123 of the Customs Act, the burden of proof that certain notified goods like gold, silver, cigarettes, etc, are not smuggled rests with the persons from whose possession they have been seized by the authorities.
Guns earlier, now gold smuggled from Myanmar is worrying India
"Gold is the biggest contraband from Myanmar," T Bijando Singh, superintendent of the Imphal division of customs and stationed at Moreh along the Myanmar border said.
Letter to NIA: DRI seeks info from tour cos on visas to Kalyan youth
Soheb Zoradarwala and his father Ahad, who own a travel agency in Mumbai, had been arrested by the DRI in March along with five others in a gold-smuggling case.
India gold smuggling slowed by election seizures of cash, bullion
Dealers were charging a premium of up to $2.50 an ounce over official domestic prices, the highest in nearly five months.
Smugglers’ creativity goes for gold again
The ingenuity of smugglers deserves a silver screen acknowledgement.
International airports on alert to check gold smuggling
Customs officials have been asked to intensify measures, including minutely scanning suspect passengers and commercial consignments to check smuggling of gold, official sources said.
Some airline crew, security staff smuggling gold; customs seize gold worth Rs 931.55 crore
On March 15, a crew member of Jet Airways flight 9W543 coming from Dubai, was intercepted with gold and diamonds worth over Rs 1.6 crore.
Police seizes record haul of smuggled gold outside airport in Ahmedabad
The arrest is likely to strengthen pressure on FM Jaitley to cut the gold import duty from a record-high 10 percent in his budget on Saturday.
Advanced electronic system at airports to check smuggling
An advanced electronic system has been made operational at five international airports across the country to keep tabs on suspicious passengers and check smuggling.
1,102 gold smuggling cases at Mumbai airport in 12 months
The gold smuggled was mostly originated from United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Iran- Jayant Sinha
Gold smuggle: Customs raise vigil as airport staff role emerge
On April 1, Ganpat Shinghade, working at housekeeping services at the airport, was caught with 5 kg of gold by a CISF constable.
Customs officials put on alert to check gold smuggling
The move comes following a three-fold jump in the cases of gold smuggling since the beginning of this fiscal compared to approximately the same period last year.
Six fold rise in gold smuggling at Mumbai airports this year: Customs department officials
Meanwhile, AIU sleuths today registered three cases of gold smuggling and seized 14.7 kg gold valued at Rs 3.28 crore and four persons were arrested.
How 150-200 tons of gold is smuggled into India annually
Hike in import duties colliding with India's fascination for the metal has ensured gold smuggling has metamorphosed into a living.
High customs duty: In India, 2,500 kg of gold is being flown in every month
High customs duty on gold has skewed the jewellery market in such a way that not only is the yellow metal being smuggled in huge quantities.
Intelligence agency sounds 'alert' to check gold smuggling
An alert has been sounded by a financial intelligence agency to all international airports and other transit points within the country to check smuggling of gold.
Steep duty spurs smuggling of gold
With a rise in customs duty on gold imports, smugglers have been resorting to extreme measures to sneak in small amounts of the precious metal.
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