Overview
- Officers from the Air Intelligence Unit, acting on DRI intelligence, intercepted passengers arriving from the UAE and recovered 770.33 grams of gold jewellery worth Rs 1,13,85,477, and detained a Gujarat tour operator alleged to have recruited couriers.
- In a separate interception, two male passengers from Maharashtra were found with 129.18 grams of gold paste concealed in shirt collars that customs processed into 24Kt TT bars valued at Rs 19,48,034.
- Both consignments were confiscated and legal action has been initiated under the Customs Act, 1962, with further investigation of the transactions and handlers under way.
- Customs says the cases echo a wider pattern on Gulf routes where facilitators such as tour operators and inventive concealment methods are used to smuggle gold into India.
- Authorities will seek to map the full network and press possible prosecutions while the detained passengers and the tour operator face evidence, valuation and court procedures as the probe continues.