According to an official statement issued by the Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai Customs Zone-III, the first interception took place on May 10 after officers selected a passenger arriving on SpiceJet flight SG5023 from Dubai based on Advance Passenger Information System profiling. Upon detailed examination, customs officials recovered four pouches containing 24-carat gold dust mixed with wax. The net weight of the recovered material was 1.02 kilograms, provisionally valued at ₹1.41 crore.
Authorities further revealed that the gold had been ingeniously concealed inside a cigarette packet in an attempt to evade detection. The seizure highlighted the continued use of deceptive concealment methods by smuggling networks operating through international air routes.
In a separate incident, customs officials intercepted another passenger arriving from Dubai on Emirates flight EK 506. During inspection, officers recovered 1.257 kilograms of 24-carat crude gold, valued at approximately ₹1.74 crore. The passenger, identified as a high-income professional working in the financial sector, was subsequently arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
During preliminary interrogation, the accused reportedly stated that fears arising from the ongoing United States–Iran conflict, along with recent developments in Dubai, influenced his decision to transfer foreign-held assets to India by converting them into gold and attempting to smuggle them in order to bypass applicable duties and regulatory scrutiny.
Authorities confirmed that both cases remain under active investigation as officials work to determine the broader network and possible links to organized smuggling syndicates.
The dual seizures underscore the persistent challenge faced by enforcement agencies in curbing sophisticated gold smuggling routes operating through major international airports, particularly those linked to high-volume transit hubs such as Dubai.
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