Mumbai Airport: Gold Worth ₹1.48 Crore Seized, Two Arrested Including Airport Staff

Customs officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport, Mumbai, Zone-III, seized 2.073 kg of gold worth ₹1.48 crore in two separate cases on December 18 and 19, 2024. Two individuals, including a private airport staff member and a passenger, have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.

In the first case, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detained a private airport staff member and handed him over to Customs officials. The individual was found in possession of three oval-shaped capsules and a black sock used to conceal them. Upon investigation, the capsules were found to contain 1.363 kg of 24-karat gold dust encased in wax, valued at ₹96 lakh.

The staff member admitted that the capsules had been handed over to him by a transit passenger intending to smuggle the gold out of Mumbai airport. He was subsequently arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.

In the second case, based on passenger profiling, Customs officers intercepted a passenger arriving from Jeddah. The passenger was found concealing gold dust weighing 710 grams (net weight) in his body cavity. The gold, valued at ₹52 lakh, was retrieved and seized.

The passenger was arrested for violating provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

Mumbai Customs continues to maintain vigilance to prevent smuggling activities at the airport. Further investigations are underway.