DRI Busts Gold Smuggling Syndicate at Ahmedabad, Surat Airports; 3 Held

Ahmedabad/Surat: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted an organised gold smuggling syndicate that allegedly brought foreign-origin gold into India through Ahmedabad and Surat airports, seizing evidence linked to 13.017 kg of gold valued at approximately ₹19.41 crore. Three persons have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers conducted coordinated searches over 42 hours from October 16, 2026, uncovering a network involving air passengers, handlers, intermediaries, an illegal gold-melting facility in Vadodara and a jewellery shop in Ahmedabad.

Preliminary investigations revealed that gold was allegedly smuggled using concealed methods, including rhodium-coated gold wires, gold hidden in trolley bag linings and gold paste concealed within bags. After arriving at the airports, passengers allegedly handed over the gold to handlers, who routed it through intermediaries to a melting facility in Vadodara. The melted gold was then supplied to a jewellery shop in Ahmedabad for cash sales.

The operation resulted in the seizure of around 890 grams of gold and the recovery of evidence linked to 6.41 kg of illegally melted gold. Searches at the jewellery shop also led to the recovery of undocumented foreign-origin gold bars and records of transactions involving around 5.8 kg of smuggled gold.

Investigators also traced a separate channel linked to the syndicate’s main financier, who is based in Dubai. The handler-financier, the operator of the melting facility and other key persons have been identified during the investigation.

The probe has exposed the alleged roles of passengers, handlers, intermediaries and jewellery traders in smuggling and disposing of foreign-origin gold. Further investigation is underway. DeshGujarat