Mumbai, May 20 (IANS) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, on Wednesday busted a highly organised gold smuggling syndicate operating through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport under a targeted operation codenamed ‘Operation Golden Drop’.

According to the DRI, acting on specific intelligence inputs, officers intercepted and seized three kg of foreign-origin gold valued at approximately Rs 4.8 crore and arrested one accused.

Investigations conducted so far have revealed a sophisticated and meticulously coordinated modus operandi. The smuggled gold dust, converted into wax form, was concealed inside specially designed egg-shaped capsules. These capsules were allegedly ingested and carried into Mumbai by transit passengers.

The DRI said the smuggled gold was later received by a cleaning staff member employed at a food outlet within the airport premises. The employee allegedly helped in clandestinely removing and delivering the gold outside the airport. The accused has been arrested.

Officials stated that the operation exposed an organised network attempting to exploit transit passenger channels and airport support systems to smuggle gold into the country while evading customs duties and regulatory scrutiny.

The seizure assumes significance amid the government’s continued efforts to curb gold smuggling and safeguard the country’s economic interests, especially in view of increased customs duties on gold aimed at conserving valuable foreign exchange.

The operation also highlighted the DRI’s strong intelligence network, swift operational response and coordinated enforcement action against transnational smuggling syndicates and insiders operating within airport systems.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Earlier, on May 14, the DRI, Mumbai, had seized diamonds worth over Rs 5.7 crore at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport and arrested two persons for allegedly attempting to smuggle them to Bangkok.

According to the DRI, the accused were intercepted at the Mumbai airport based on specific Intelligence inputs. During examination and questioning, both passengers admitted that they had concealed two capsules each inside their bodies.

The capsules were later purged by the passengers, leading to the recovery of 1,624 carats of diamonds, including natural diamonds as well as lab-grown ones. The total value of the seized diamonds has been estimated at approximately Rs 5.70 crore.

Officials had said that the diamonds had been deliberately concealed for illegal export.

The recovered diamonds were seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and both accused persons were arrested.

The DRI had stated that further investigation is underway to dismantle the syndicate allegedly involved in the smuggling operation, which appears to have links to international money laundering activities.

–IANS

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