Surat: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a major diamond smuggling racket at Surat International Airport and arrested two youths who were attempting to fly to Bangkok with a large quantity of valuables. Polished diamonds worth nearly ₹6 crore and foreign currency amounting to USD 30,000 were recovered from their possession.

Acting on a specific tip-off, DRI officers kept surveillance at the airport and intercepted the two suspects before departure. A search of their baggage revealed packets of diamonds and US dollar notes cleverly concealed inside. The seized items were immediately confiscated.

Investigating agencies said the modus operandi of physically carrying diamonds and foreign currency abroad has been on the rise in recent years, with one or two such cases surfacing every month from Surat airport. Officials believe the smuggling is aimed at tax evasion and routing illicit funds through foreign transactions.

The DRI suspects the involvement of a larger network engaged in laundering black money by selling diamonds abroad and repatriating the proceeds to India as legitimate income. The agency has begun questioning the accused, hailing from Mota Varacha and Kamrej, to ascertain the source of the diamonds in Surat and their intended recipients in Bangkok. Investigators are also examining their contact lists and past travel records.

Both accused have been formally arrested, and the DRI is preparing to seek their remand in court to probe the case further and trace the wider smuggling network. DeshGujarat