In a significant operation against gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted a passenger carrying foreign-origin gold bars valued at ₹12.56 crore at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted a 33-year-old Indian female passenger who had arrived from Dubai to Bengaluru via an Emirates flight on March 3, 2025. Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kg were found ingeniously concealed on her person. The contraband, valued at ₹12.56 crore, was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Following the interception, DRI officers conducted a search at her residence on Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, where she resides with her husband. The search resulted in the seizure of gold jewelry worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore. The passenger has been arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and remanded to judicial custody.
The total seizure in the case stands at ₹17.29 crore, marking a significant blow to organized gold smuggling networks. The haul of 14.2 kg is one of the biggest seizures of gold at Bengaluru International Airport in recent times.
