Overview

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 3.5 kg of gold with 99.9% purity, valued at ₹3.45 crore, at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.
• An Indian passenger traveling from Dubai via Muscat and two airport ground handling staffers were arrested under the Customs Act.
• The smuggled gold, comprising 30 bars concealed in three packets, was intercepted during a handover near the aerobridge in the arrivals area.
• Investigators revealed the gold was intended to be passed through a network of colluding airport staff before being returned to the passenger post-customs clearance.
• Further investigations are underway to trace the broader smuggling network and identify additional syndicate links.