DRI Busts Massive Gold Smuggling Operation at Bengaluru Airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore from a passenger at Bengaluru Airport. Following a search, additional gold and cash were found at her residence, totaling Rs 17.29 crore. The 33-year-old woman has been arrested, marking a major smuggling crackdown.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) executed a major operation on March 3, 2025, intercepting a passenger at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. The passenger, a 33-year-old Indian woman arriving from Dubai, was found carrying foreign-origin gold bars valued at Rs 12.56 crore.

Leveraging specific intelligence, DRI officers discovered 14.2 kg of gold cleverly concealed on her person. The contraband was seized in alignment with the Customs Act, 1962, as it was deemed a significant violation.

Subsequent searches at her Lavelle Road residence revealed additional illicit assets, including gold jewelry worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency totaling Rs 2.67 crore. Arrested under the Customs Act, the woman has been placed in judicial custody. This operation marks one of the largest gold seizures at Bengaluru's airport in recent history, striking a severe blow to organized smuggling operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)