18 Sudanese women arrested with smuggled gold worth ₹10.16 cr at Mumbai airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials have also arrested one Indian national who coordinated the smugglers’ movement

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have arrested 18 Sudanese women for smuggling gold worth ₹10.16 crore from Mumbai airport, officials said on Wednesday, adding that they have also arrested one Indian national who coordinated their movement.

Officials said that most of the recovered gold was found concealed in the bodies of the smugglers, making it extremely difficult to detect it. (Representative Image)

Surveillance was mounted by a team of DRI officers at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport based on specific intelligence that gold in paste form was being smuggled into India by a group of passengers travelling from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Mumbai on Monday. They identified and intercepted the suspected passengers in three flights. A thorough examination of them led to recovery of a total of 16.36 kg of gold in form of paste, pieces and jewellery.

DRI officials said that most of the recovered gold was found concealed in the bodies of the smugglers, making it extremely difficult to detect it.

The officials said during follow up search at related premises, 1.42 kg gold valued at approximately ₹85 lakh, foreign currency worth ₹16 lakh and Indian currency of ₹88 lakh were recovered.

Further investigation is under progress to unravel the complete chain of persons involved in the syndicate responsible for the illegal inflow of gold into the country, the officials added.