Hyderabad DRI seizes foreign origin gold worth over one crore, arrests air passenger at RGIA

Hyderabad: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence(DRI) officials of Hyderabad Zonal Unit apprehended an air passenger at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad for indulging in smuggling foreign origin gold on Sunday. The DRI officials have seized foreign origin gold worth over one crore from passengers’ possession.

Going further into the details, acting on specific intelligence, the officers of DRI, Hyderabad Zonal Unit apprehended an air passenger who arrived in Hyderabad from Dubai on Sunday, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. Based on specific intelligence gathered by DRI, HZU, to the effect that Gold is being smuggled from Dubai to Hyderabad, India by one male passenger travelling to Hyderabad by flight number EK – 528 on Saturday, the officers of DRI, HZU intercepted the suspected passenger at the exit area of International Arrival Hall, RGIA, Hyderabad on Saturday.

When frisked the officials found foreign origin gold, “Upon thorough questioning and scanning of the passenger’s shoes and his backpack two yellow coloured large metal bars in the shape of the battery were found concealed by him, one in his left shoe and the other one in his backpack and a yellow coloured metal chain was also recovered. The total weight of the recovered gold is 1390.850 grams valued at Rs.1,00,06,909,” said apex anti-smuggling agency of India in an official statement.

Subsequently, the DRI officials seized foreign origin gold and the passenger was arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation to identify the network is in progress.

“Gold smuggling has ceased to be a purely economic offence, with the commodity used for multiple illicit activities. Smuggling of gold not only impacts the indirect tax collections, but also adversely impacts the direct tax collections and feeds the parallel economy of the country. Being a high-value low-volume item, it is used as an excellent currency for money laundering as well” said DRI in its smuggling in India report 2022-23.