DRI Busts ₹475 Crore Gold Smuggling Network, 11 Arrested

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a pan-India gold smuggling syndicate, seizing 6.61 kg of foreign-origin gold worth around ₹10.36 crore and arresting 11 people, including an alleged mastermind.

The syndicate allegedly used courier channels to transport smuggled gold across the country. Preliminary scrutiny of documentary evidence has revealed that around 318 kg of smuggled gold, valued at nearly ₹475 crore, was transported through the network over the past nine months.

Acting on specific intelligence about the smuggling of foreign-origin gold through the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal and Assam, the DRI carried out a coordinated multi-city operation on September 23 and 24. Simultaneous interceptions and searches were conducted in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Guwahati.

During the operation, DRI officers intercepted live courier consignments containing smuggled gold that had been booked from Guwahati and Kolkata for delivery to recipients in Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad.

Seven recipients were apprehended, while simultaneous searches at the premises of consignors or shippers in Kolkata resulted in the arrest of three more people. In a follow-up action, an alleged mastermind coordinating the dispatch and delivery of the smuggled gold was apprehended in Mumbai.

The investigation found that the syndicate allegedly split the smuggled gold into multiple small courier consignments before sending them to different recipients for disposal in the domestic market.

According to the DRI, the consignors, shippers and recipients appeared to be paper entities or persons without legitimate gold transactions, indicating an attempt to conceal the movement and distribution of the contraband.

The 6.61 kg of foreign-origin gold in bar form was seized under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

The DRI said the operation reflects its continued efforts to disrupt organised gold-smuggling networks and prevent the use of unconventional logistics and courier channels for illegal distribution. Further investigation is underway.