DRI Mumbai Seizes 30 Kg Gold Worth ₹38 Crore, Arrests 24 Women in Op Dhahabu Blitz

Mumbai: In a significant blow to organised gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Mumbai has busted a major syndicate operating through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

Acting on precise intelligence inputs, DRI officers intercepted a group of 24 women carriers -- all foreign nationals -- who had arrived from Nairobi, Kenya. The operation, codenamed Operation Dhahabu Blitz, led to the seizure of 29.37 kg of gold valued at approximately ₹37.74 crore.

The recovered consignment included 25.10 kg of gold bars and 4.27 kg of gold jewellery, cleverly concealed by the carriers in an attempt to evade customs detection.

This crackdown highlights the sophisticated methods employed by international smuggling networks that recruit trained individuals, often women, to ferry high-value gold into the country. Officials believe the syndicate was well-organised, with coordinated logistics aimed at exploiting passenger traffic at Mumbai’s busy international airport.

A senior DRI official stated that such smuggling activities not only cause substantial revenue loss to the government but also pose a serious threat to the nation’s economic security by undermining legitimate trade and fiscal policies.

The arrested carriers have been taken into custody, and further investigations are underway to trace the masterminds and dismantle the entire network.

The DRI has reiterated its firm resolve to continue aggressive action against gold smuggling rackets that jeopardise India’s economic interests.