Mumbai Airport Bust: Traveler Caught Smuggling ₹6.3 Crore in Gold Hidden in Shoes

13th April 2025 at 9:17 AM

1 minute read

Kannada actress Ranya Rao's arrest at Bengaluru airport with 14.2kg of gold has highlighted the issue of the gold smuggling and price differences between Dubai and India of gold. The actress is a stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer, allegedly hid gold bars in her clothing

Customs officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport apprehended a passenger attempting to smuggle gold worth ₹6.3 crore, concealed inside his footwear, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) reported on Saturday. The incident occurred when DRI officers, acting on precise intelligence, intercepted the individual arriving on flight TG 317 from Bangkok.

A thorough search revealed 14 gold bars of foreign origin, weighing 6.735 kilograms, stashed within the passenger’s shoes. The seized gold, valued at approximately ₹6.3 crore, prompted the immediate arrest of the traveler under the Customs Act. Authorities have launched an investigation to uncover potential links to a broader smuggling network.

The DRI emphasized that such operations reflect their ongoing efforts to curb illegal trafficking through India’s major airports. The case remains under scrutiny as officials work to determine the full scope of the smuggling attempt.