Overview

• On June 13, DRI officials intercepted crew member Girish Ravaji Pimpale after Air India flight AI-116 from New York and seized a pouch containing 1.373 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at Rs 1.41 crore.
• Pimpale admitted during interrogation to previous smuggling runs and revealed details that led to the arrest of suspected mastermind Rakesh Rathod.
• Rathod allegedly financed gold purchases in the US through hawala networks and offered Rs 2 lakh to crew members for every kilogram smuggled into India.
• Both Pimpale and Rathod were charged under the Customs Act, 1962, face non-bailable offences and have been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
• DRI investigators have launched a wider probe to identify additional network members and trace the source of funds used in the transnational smuggling operation.