Gold seized in the RGIA in Hyderabad.
The Tax Intelligence Agency (DRI) seized 3.5 kilograms of smuggled gold at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Wednesday. An Indian passenger from Dubai and two airport ground personnel were arrested while trying to pass through the gold inside the pier.
Officials from the DRI Hyderabad Regional Department acted on specific intelligence inputs to intercept the defendant, who arrived from Dubai via Muscat to Muscat near Aero Bridge in the international arrival area. He was caught in the process of handing over the smuggled gold to members of the airport ground handling staff.
According to DRI, 30 rods weighing 10 trusts are hidden in three separate small packets. It was carefully transferred to ground staff, whose mission was to move it out of safe areas. The plan was to transport contraband to another ground staffer stationed in the airport parking lot, who later returned it to the same passenger after clearing customs and exiting the terminal.
DRI says the purity of gold is 99.9%. In addition to contraband, packaging materials were also seized as evidence. All three defendants were arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act of 1962 and have been returned to judicial custody.
Further investigation is underway.
publishing – May 2, 2025 at 08:27 AM IST
