DRI seizes 30 gold bars worth Rs. 3.4 crore at Hyderabad Airport; Passenger & staff held
Hyderabad: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials from the Hyderabad Zonal Unit seized 3.5 kilograms of smuggled gold, valued at Rs. 3.45 crore, at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on April 30, 2025.
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officials intercepted an Indian passenger who had arrived from Dubai to Hyderabad via Muscat. The passenger was seen handing over the smuggled gold to a ground handling staff member near the Aero Bridge at the airport’s International Passengers’ Arrival Gate.
Upon investigation, it was revealed that the gold was meant to be delivered to a second ground handling staff member, who was waiting at the airport parking area. This individual was to take the gold outside the airport and return it to the passenger after he cleared customs.
A total of 30 gold bars, weighing 10 tolas each, were recovered. The gold, with a total weight of 3,500 grams and a purity of 99.9%, was valued at Rs. 3,45,79,300. The gold, along with the packing material, was seized.
The passenger and both ground staff members were arrested under the Customs Act, 1962, and have been remanded to judicial custody. Further investigations are underway.
