DRI Mumbai busts gold-diamond smuggling syndicate at CSMIA, 8 arrested
Synopsis
Under 'Operation Carat-Karat Nexus', DRI Mumbai cracked open a two-way smuggling syndicate at CSMIA — gold coming in as wax capsules from the Gulf, diamonds heading out to Dubai. Eight arrested, including an airport staffer caught red-handed, and over ₹13.73 crore in contraband seized in a single intelligence-driven sweep.
Key Takeaways
The DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit dismantled an international smuggling syndicate at CSMIA under 'Operation Carat-Karat Nexus' .
8.564 kg of 24-karat gold dust in wax capsules worth approximately ₹12.64 crore was seized.
1,168.97 carats of natural and lab-grown diamonds valued at approximately ₹1.09 crore were also recovered.
Eight people were arrested — including four Bangladeshi nationals , two Sri Lankan nationals , one Indian passenger , and one airport staff member .
Gold was smuggled in by transit passengers from Dubai , Doha , Jeddah , and Fujairah ; diamonds were being routed out to Dubai .
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)'s Mumbai Zonal Unit has dismantled an international smuggling syndicate operating through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), seizing 8.564 kg of gold worth approximately ₹12.64 crore and 1,168.97 carats of diamonds valued at approximately ₹1.09 crore. The operation, conducted on 2 October 2025 and code-named 'Operation Carat-Karat Nexus', led to the arrest of eight members of the syndicate, including an airport staff member.
How the Smuggling Network Operated
According to the DRI, the syndicate ran a two-way trafficking pipeline: gold was smuggled into India from international transit passengers, while diamonds were being smuggled out to Dubai. The gold was concealed ingeniously — packed as capsules of gold dust in wax and carried on the bodies of transit passengers arriving from multiple Gulf and South Asian cities.
The airport staffer, described as a critical link in the chain, was caught red-handed in the transit area while receiving gold capsules from the passengers. Separately, he was intercepted handing over diamonds to an Indian passenger bound for Dubai, according to the DRI's statement.
Who Was Arrested
The eight accused include six international transit passengers — four Bangladeshi nationals and two Sri Lankan nationals — who had arrived on separate flights from Dubai, Doha, Jeddah, and Fujairah. They were awaiting onward travel to Dhaka and Singapore when DRI officers intercepted them in the transit zone. The eighth accused is an Indian passenger who was reportedly set to carry the diamonds to Dubai.
Notably, the involvement of an airport employee points to an insider facilitation angle — a pattern that enforcement agencies say is increasingly common in organised airport smuggling cases.
What Was Seized
Officers recovered 23 capsules containing 24-karat gold dust in wax form, with a gross weight of 8.564 kg and an estimated market value of ₹12.64 crore. They also seized 1,168.97 carats of natural and lab-grown diamonds valued at approximately ₹1.09 crore. The combined seizure is valued at over ₹13.73 crore.
DRI's Response and Broader Significance
The DRI stated that the operation reflects its 'continued commitment to dismantling smuggling networks through sustained, intelligence-driven enforcement.' The agency underscored the importance of protecting the country's financial integrity and the international travel and trade ecosystem.
This operation comes amid heightened scrutiny of gold smuggling routes through Indian airports, where duty arbitrage between international and domestic prices has historically driven organised trafficking. The use of wax-encased capsules for gold concealment mirrors methods documented in previous DRI busts, suggesting established tradecraft shared across syndicates.
With eight arrests made and cross-border nationals involved, investigators are now expected to map wider international connections, potentially tracing the syndicate's financing and coordination nodes in the Gulf and South Asia.
Point of View
And this case exposes a structural vulnerability in CSMIA's access controls. The use of wax-encased gold capsules is not new; it has featured in multiple DRI busts over the past decade, which raises a harder question: why does a documented method keep working? The DRI's 'intelligence-driven' framing is commendable, but a recurring technique suggests the countermeasure response has not kept pace with the threat.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Operation Carat-Karat Nexus' by DRI Mumbai?
'Operation Carat-Karat Nexus' is a DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit operation that dismantled an international gold and diamond smuggling syndicate at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on 2 October 2025. The operation led to the seizure of over ₹13.73 crore in contraband and the arrest of eight individuals.
How much gold and diamonds were seized in the CSMIA smuggling bust?
The DRI seized 8.564 kg of 24-karat gold dust in wax capsules valued at approximately ₹12.64 crore, and 1,168.97 carats of natural and lab-grown diamonds valued at approximately ₹1.09 crore. The total contraband recovered is valued at over ₹13.73 crore.
Who was arrested in the DRI Mumbai gold smuggling case?
Eight people were arrested, including four Bangladeshi nationals, two Sri Lankan nationals, one Indian passenger, and one airport staff member from CSMIA. The transit passengers had arrived from Dubai, Doha, Jeddah, and Fujairah.
How was the gold being smuggled through CSMIA?
The gold was concealed as capsules of gold dust packed in wax and carried on the bodies of international transit passengers. The capsules were handed over to an airport employee in the transit area, who was caught red-handed by DRI officers.
Why is insider involvement in airport smuggling significant?
The arrest of an airport staff member indicates that the syndicate had an established inside facilitator — a pattern enforcement agencies say amplifies the risk of undetected trafficking. The staffer allegedly received gold from transit passengers and separately handed diamonds to an outbound passenger, making him a two-way node in the operation.
