'Operation Golden Sweep': DRI Mumbai Dismantles Rs 12.58-Crore Gold Smuggling Network At Airport

In a meticulously planned intelligence operation that has exposed the underbelly of international gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Mumbai has successfully dismantled a multi-layered

syndicate operating through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport. Code-named “Operation Golden Sweep”, the crackdown led to the seizure of 10.5 kilograms of foreign-origin 24-karat gold, valued at Rs 12.58 crore, and the arrest of 13 individuals spanning multiple nationalities.

According to DRI officials, the operation was launched after weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering. What the investigators uncovered was a clever yet risky method of smuggling that relied on transit passengers—individuals flying from Dubai to destinations such as Singapore, Bangkok, and Dhaka via Mumbai—who carried the contraband in highly concealed forms. These couriers reportedly swallowed or hid egg-shaped wax capsules filled with gold inside their bodies, a method favoured for its ability to evade conventional scanning.

The syndicate’s network extended well beyond the couriers. Once the transit passengers landed in Mumbai, they discreetly passed the concealed gold to complicit airport staff members working in the international departure area. Two employees of a meet-and-greet service, now under arrest, allegedly acted as the crucial link between the carriers and ground handlers. These insiders then facilitated the removal of smuggled gold from the high-security airport zone—a breach that raises serious questions about internal oversight mechanisms.

The DRI’s enforcement teams moved in swiftly, arresting the two Bangladeshi carriers, six Sri Lankan nationals, the two airport staffers, two handlers, and the Mumbai-based mastermind who coordinated with operatives in Dubai. Officials described the network as “a professionally managed transnational operation” that exploited both human desperation and insider access to bypass airport security layers.

This operation underscores a worrying trend where organised syndicates turn to aviation transit routes to move high-value contraband. With gold prices soaring and import restrictions tightening, India—one of the world’s largest consumers of the precious metal—continues to be a prime target for smugglers seeking to profit from the price differential between Dubai and the domestic market.

Speaking about the bust, senior DRI officers stressed that the operation demonstrated the agency’s growing capabilities in predictive intelligence and inter-agency cooperation. “Operation Golden Sweep is not just a seizure—it’s a message that no level of sophistication can shield organised syndicates when enforcement agencies stay a step ahead,” said one officer on condition of anonymity.

Beyond its immediate success, the operation also highlights a structural concern—the insider threat. Sensitive facilities such as airports, ports, and logistics hubs increasingly face risks from compromised staff who aid criminal activities for financial gain. DRI officials indicated that enhanced checks, rotational duty policies, and tighter background verifications may now be recommended to plug such vulnerabilities.

As investigations continue, authorities believe that more arrests could follow, particularly tracing the Dubai-based financiers who orchestrated the logistics. For DRI Mumbai, “Operation Golden Sweep” stands as another feather in its cap—a reminder that smuggling, no matter how cleverly executed, often leaves traces for those who know where to look.