Six Arrested With Rs 11 Crore Smuggled Gold at Mumbai Airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested six persons, including an airline employee and Bangladeshi nationals, after intercepting a major gold smuggling operation at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

Officials seized approximately 7 kg of smuggled gold valued at Rs 11 crore during the operation. The contraband was found concealed in 16 wax-filled capsules and balls containing gold dust.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted 23-year-old Munaf Mushraf Jamadar, a staff member of Vietnam Airlines posted at the Mumbai international airport. Authorities received information that Jamadar was involved in smuggling operations and was tasked with transferring the contraband to an external contact outside the airport terminal.

A personal search of Jamadar led to the recovery of seven egg-shaped capsules containing gold dust mixed with wax. During interrogation, Jamadar admitted that he was carrying the contraband to hand it over to a recipient waiting outside the airport premises in exchange for monetary compensation.

Based on details provided by Jamadar, officials subsequently identified and apprehended five passengers who had handed the gold to him inside the airport. The passengers were identified as Mohammed Abu Nasar, Mohammed Alam, Mohammed Naximuddin, Mohammed Mohiuddin, and Mohammed Hossen. Nasar, Alam, and Naximuddin are Bangladeshi nationals.

In total, enforcement officials recovered 16 capsules and balls containing roughly 7 kg of gold across the operation.

All six accused were produced before a local court. Advocates Birendra Singh and Aftab Qureshi, representing the accused, submitted to the court that their clients were innocent and had been exploited due to poverty. After hearing the matter, the court remanded all six individuals to judicial custody.