Gold Smuggling: 24 Women Held at Mumbai Airport

• DRI seized 29.37kg of gold (Rs 37.74 crore) from 24 women at Mumbai airport, busting a smuggling racket.
• "Operation Dhahabu Blitz" targeted women arriving from Nairobi, Kenya; 25.1kg gold bars & 4.27kg jewellery found.
• The women, trained to evade checks, will face court; authorities are investigating the smuggling ring's kingpins.

Mumbai, Apr 10 (PTI) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized 29.37 kg of gold worth Rs 37.74 crore from 24 women at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, busting a major smuggling

racket, an official said.

Based on specific intelligence, the DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit conducted ‘Operation Dhahabu Blitz’ on Wednesday, he said, adding it may be among the biggest busts at Mumbai airport this year. ‘Dhahabu’ is Swahili for gold.

“DRI received a tip-off about women coming from Nairobi in Kenya with hidden gold. Following this, 24 foreign nationals, who had landed at Mumbai Airport from Nairobi, were stopped. From their bags and clothes, 25.1 kg of gold bars and 4.27 kg of gold jewellery were recovered,” he said on Thursday.

The women were trained to hide the gold and escape checks, which points to a well-planned syndicate using such carriers to beat airport security, the official said.

While the women will be produced in court, a further probe is underway to nab the kingpins of the racket, he added. PTI DC BNM NR