The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), a unit of the Ministry of Finance, has seized nearly 9.40 kilograms of gold smuggled from Dubai and concealed inside common food products at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Three Indian passengers were arrested in connection with the seizure on 23 September 2026.
This operation reveals a sophisticated smuggling technique in which gold was converted to powder and mixed with packaged foods such as milk powder, oats, rice flour, cake mix and other dry goods to evade detection by customs officials.
Key facts
- Gold seized: 9.40 kg of foreign-origin gold
- Estimated value: approximately Rs. 14.81 crore
- Date of seizure: 23 September 2026
- Location: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai
- Passengers arrested: three Indian nationals arriving from Dubai
- Total food products containing gold powder: approximately 33.50 kg
- Food items used for concealment: milk powder, oats, various flours, Nutella, coconut milk powder
- Investigating agency: DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit with support from Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), Mumbai Airport Customs
How the smuggling method worked
The smugglers employed an innovative concealment strategy by converting gold into fine powder and mixing it with packaged food items of similar appearance, colour, texture and consistency. By blending the gold powder with ordinary-looking dry foods, the contraband was designed to pass through routine baggage inspections without raising suspicion. The gold powder was distributed across multiple food packets, further reducing the likelihood of detection.
During baggage examination, DRI officials discovered the hidden gold through careful segregation and assaying of the food products recovered from the three passengers’ luggage.
Legal action and arrests
All three passengers admitted during questioning that they were acting on behalf of an organised gold-smuggling syndicate. Based on this admission and the evidence of the contraband, they were arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The seized gold has been confiscated under the same legal framework.
About gold smuggling enforcement
Gold smuggling remains a persistent challenge for Indian customs authorities because smuggled gold evades import duties and official channels. The DRI is the primary agency responsible for investigating cases of smuggling, including precious metals. The agency operates at major entry points such as airports, seaports and land borders to intercept contraband before it enters the domestic economy.
In recent years, smugglers have adopted increasingly creative methods to hide gold, ranging from fabricating it into jewellery and clothing to, as in this case, mixing it into food products. The sophistication of the technique used here suggests that the syndicate involved has invested significant effort in evading detection systems.
What this means for you
If you are a frequent traveller or business person, this seizure illustrates the serious consequences of attempting to smuggle goods into India. Passengers caught smuggling face arrest, criminal charges and confiscation of all contraband. Smuggling gold is a criminal offence under the Customs Act and can result in imprisonment and substantial fines.
For the general public, such enforcement actions contribute to preventing illegal gold circulation in the domestic market. Smuggled gold, when it enters the economy, can distort legitimate gold prices and facilitate money laundering or other financial crimes. By intercepting smugglers, the DRI helps maintain the integrity of regulated gold trade in India.
What happens next
The DRI’s investigation into the syndicate is ongoing. The three arrested passengers face prosecution under the Customs Act, and the agency will continue to track and pursue other members of the smuggling network they were connected to.