Mumbai Customs seize Rs 5.10 crore worth gold airport; two held

The Mumbai Custom officials on Sunday said that they have seized gold worth Rs 5.10 crore at city airport in two different cases of gold smuggling and arrested two people in connection with the seizure, reported the ANI.

According to the Mumbai Customs, in the first case, one individual working in a lounge was intercepted when he was crossing the departure area. He was checked and a recovery of as many as six pouches were made from him, they were concealed in his inner clothes. The pouches contained gold dust in wax form. It has a net weight of 2,800 grams valued at Rs. 2.48 crore. It is suspected that the seized gold was handed over to him by a transit passenger and further investigations were underway. The suspect in the case was initially detained and later officially placed under arrest.

In an another similar case, one person working on contractual basis at the airport was intercepted when he was crossing the exit point at the departure area and the officials decided to check him. Upon conducting the checks, a recovery of six pouches was made from him. It contained gold wax having net weight of 2,950 grams valued at Rs 2.62 crore. The gold wax was concealed in the pocket of his jacket that the suspect was wearing. The gold wax was apparently handed over to him by a transit passenger, said the Mumbai Customs officials, as per the ANI.

Both persons were arrested and further investigations are going on, officials said.

Meanwhile, earlier on Saturday, while acting on specific intelligence inputs, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Mumbai intercepted a male passenger, a Chadian national, who had arrived from Addis Ababa on Friday, May 16, 2025, said officials, adding that during a personal search, officials discovered foreign-origin gold bars cleverly concealed within the heels of his slippers. The total weight of the seized gold was 4,015 grams, valued at approximately Rs 3.86 crore.

In his statement, the passenger admitted to hiding the gold to evade customs detection.

The DRI has seized the gold and arrested the passenger under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, said officials, reported the ANI.

Further investigations are underway, they said.

(with ANI inputs)

This article first appeared on Mid Day