DRI Seizes ₹25 Crore Worth Smuggled Gold, Arrests 10
Coordinated operations in Kolkata and Agartala bust major gold smuggling syndicates
- DRI seizes nearly 17 kg of foreign-origin gold worth ₹25 crore
- Seven arrested in Kolkata airport smuggling case
- Three held in Tripura operation linked to Indo-Bangladesh border
- Crackdown targets organised gold smuggling networks in eastern India
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th June: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted two major gold smuggling syndicates operating in eastern and north-eastern India, seizing nearly 17 kilograms of foreign-origin gold worth approximately ₹25 crore and arresting 10 people in coordinated operations conducted in Kolkata and Agartala.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the operations were carried out on June 12 as part of a major crackdown on organised gold smuggling networks.
In Kolkata, DRI officials intercepted a smuggling syndicate allegedly attempting to bring 11.6 kg of gold from Thailand through Kolkata Airport. The seized gold is estimated to be worth around ₹17 crore.
Seven individuals, including a woman, were arrested in connection with the case.
Investigators suspect the group was part of a larger organised network involved in the illegal import and distribution of foreign-origin gold into the country.
In a separate operation on the same day, DRI officials in Agartala seized approximately 5.1 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at nearly ₹8 crore. The gold was allegedly smuggled into India through the Tripura sector of the Indo-Bangladesh border.
Three persons were arrested during the operation.
The Agartala operation was conducted in coordination with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), highlighting inter-agency efforts to curb cross-border smuggling activities.
Officials said the seizures dealt a significant blow to organised smuggling syndicates that exploit air routes and international borders to bring foreign-origin gold into the country.
The DRI has launched further investigations to identify the broader networks involved, trace the source and destination of the smuggled gold, and uncover any interstate or international links connected to the operations.
Gold smuggling remains a major challenge for enforcement agencies, with organised syndicates increasingly using sophisticated methods and multiple transit routes to evade customs and border controls.
The latest seizures underscore the government’s continued focus on combating economic offences and disrupting illegal trade networks operating across the country.
