Overview

• DRI Mumbai recovered around 4 kg of foreign-origin gold worth Rs 4.64 crore at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and arrested four suspects, including an airport staffer.
• Investigators say the syndicate used a passenger from Niamey, Niger, who concealed gold on his body, stashed it in an overhead bin after landing, and relied on an insider to retrieve and pass it to handlers.
• The latest action follows last week’s 10.5 kg seizure and 13 arrests, taking recoveries under Operation Golden Sweep to over 14 kg valued at nearly Rs 17 crore.
• Customs in Kerala reported fresh cases with 360 grams seized from a passenger at Thiruvananthapuram and 630 grams recovered abandoned on an aircraft at Kochi, with two arrests last week tied to attempts worth Rs 1.6 crore.
• Officials report strengthened airport surveillance and ongoing probes to identify additional network members, trace financial links, and disrupt organised smuggling routes.