2 months ago
DRI Busts Gold Smuggling Syndicates at Mumbai Airport
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Mumbai caught two groups of people smuggling gold.
They found eight people involved, including passengers and airport cleaning staff.
The passengers hid gold in the airplane's toilet and inside the aircraft.
Two cleaning staff, Rajesh Manjrekar and Zaheer Qureshi, took the gold out.
They were caught with gold worth Rs 23.63 crore.
The cleaning staff said they were told to get the gold by other people, who were also caught.
The DRI says the gold was smuggled, but the accused's lawyer says they bought the gold legally.
DRI arrested eight people involved in two gold smuggling syndicates at Mumbai Airport.
Gold worth Rs 23.63 crore was recovered in bars and wax form.
Passengers hid gold in the airplane's toilet and inside the aircraft.
Cleaning staff Rajesh Manjrekar and Zaheer Qureshi retrieved the gold.
Mohamed Urwa, Mohammad Ajhar Kazi, Mohammed Ahmed, and others were also arrested for their roles in the smuggling.
- Who
- Eight individuals including passengers, cleaning staff, and coordinators
- What
- Busting of two gold smuggling syndicates
- Where
- CSMI Airport, Mumbai
- When
- July 22-24, 2026
- Why
- To smuggle gold out of the airport
DRI's Perspective
Defense's Perspective
Nature of the Gold
DRI's Perspective
The gold was smuggled and of foreign origin.
Defense's Perspective
The gold was purchased officially and not smuggled.
Key facts
- Date of Arrest
- July 22-24, 2026
- Number of Accused
- 8
- Value of Gold Recovered
- Rs 23.63 crore
- Location of Arrest
- CSMI Airport, Mumbai
- Form of Gold
- Gold bars and gold dust in wax form
- Operation Names
- Operation Sky Vault and Operation Midas Mop
Timeline
DRI's probe nets eight gold smugglers at Mumbai airport.
Seized: Rs 23.63 crore in gold; cleaning staff among arrested.
Quotes
Ministry of Finance
India’s Ministry of Finance statement on DRI operations
“Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers at Mumbai intercepted three passengers on 23-24.07.2026 arriving from Addis Ababa and, after an extensive search of the aircraft, recovered 6 foreign-origin gold bars weighing around 12 kg concealed inside the ceiling panels of the rear lavatory of the aircraft. Investigation revealed that the passengers had concealed the gold for subsequent retrieval by airport staff. The gold was seized and all three passengers were arrested.”
thestatesman.com
“Both worked for monetary consideration for Ajhar, and Manjrekar directed Qureshi to retrieve the gold from the aircraft lavatory. The smuggled gold was then handed to Ajhar outside the airport.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
DRI seizes 27 kg of smuggled gold in intelligence-led nationwide operations; 12 arrested
DRI Busts Gold Smuggling Syndicate At Mumbai Airport, Arrests Five Including Cleaning Staff For Retrieving Hidden Gold
DRI cracks two gold smuggling rackets
DRI seizes over 27 kg smuggled gold in multi-city operations, 12 held
DRI Busts 2 Gold Smuggling Syndicates At Mumbai Airport, Seizes 15.76 kg Gold Worth ₹23.63 Crore; 8 Arrested
DRI busts two gold-smuggling syndicates, seizes gold worth Rs 23.63 crore; eight arrested
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