The operation was initiated after the DRI received a tip-off concerning women traveling from Nairobi with hidden gold. Utilizing digital profiling and maintaining covert surveillance near the arrival area of flight KQ 202 at Terminal 2, officials tracked the suspects through heavy passenger traffic. Investigators chose to intercept the group after they had crossed the green channel to ensure definitive evidence of intent. During the interception, 24 foreign nationals were stopped, while a 25th individual identified herself during questioning. A 26th passenger had already been detained for attempting to utilize a fake passport.
Despite initial denials from all 25 passengers, a meticulous search of two individuals led to the discovery of gold bars concealed within their footwear. In a desperate attempt to evade capture, some members of the group began discarding objects wrapped in black tape near the luggage belts. Officials subsequently recovered multiple pouches containing melted gold bars that no one claimed ownership of. In total, the DRI recovered 25.1 kg of gold bars and 4.27 kg of gold jewellery from the bags and clothes of the suspects. Officials noted that the women appeared highly trained to conceal contraband and evade security checks, pointing toward a well-planned syndicate designed to bypass airport protocols.
This major seizure follows another significant breakthrough earlier this week at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, where the DRI’s Bengaluru zonal unit uncovered a separate network on April 6 and 7. That operation resulted in the seizure of 3.356 kg of high-purity gold worth Rs 5 crore. In the Bengaluru case, five individuals have been arrested as investigators work to trace the masterminds. The contraband in that instance was concealed as paste inside capsule-shaped packets, highlighting the increasingly sophisticated methods employed by smugglers. The network exploited Bengaluru as a transit hub, using longer layovers to facilitate covert exchanges within sensitive areas such as washrooms and smoking zones through a pre-arranged passcode system.
The Bengaluru investigation further revealed alarming insider involvement, with authorized access to restricted zones allegedly misused to transport the gold. The syndicate utilized encrypted communication platforms and coded messages to coordinate their movements. Preliminary findings suggest a vast cross-border syndicate involving both foreign operatives and domestic handlers. All accused from the Mumbai operation will be produced in court as further investigations continue to identify and apprehend the kingpins. These back-to-back operations underscore the growing sophistication of organized smuggling networks and the unwavering commitment of the DRI to secure the nation's borders against illicit trade.
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