DRI dismantles illegal melting unit in Delhi; eight arrested in gold smuggling case

In its continued crackdown against cross border gold smuggling, Directorate of Revenue intelligence (DRI) officers busted another Delhi-based gold smuggling syndicate involved in smuggling foreign-origin gold from the North Eastern region to Delhi using multiple carriers travelling by different trains. The syndicate staggered the movement of carriers to reduce risk of detection. They operated a melting facility in a densely populated residential area of Delhi.

On 26.06.26, in a meticulously coordinated operation, DRI officers intercepted two carriers at New Cooch Behar Railway Station, West Bengal and Mansi Junction, Bihar. The persons intercepted by DRI had gold bars weighing, around 2 kg concealed, on their persons. Simultaneously, two persons were also apprehended in Delhi along with smuggled gold weighing around 1.2 kg. These interventions led to the detection of an illicit gold-melting facility in Delhi. All four persons were arrested.

On the same day, in another operation, DRI officials intercepted a female carrier travelling from Sairang to Kolkata by train and recovered 20 gold bars of foreign origin from her, with markings in a foreign language, weighing around 3.3 kg. The gold was concealed in a customised waist belt. The passenger was arrested.

Also, in Chennai, DRI successfully unearthed a major smuggling racket involving illicit movement of foreign currency through domestic air cargo consignments and its use in financing organised smuggling of gold and silver into India. DRI officers intercepted consignments at Chennai Air Cargo and recovered foreign currency comprising USD 7,58,500 and Thai Baht 35,00,000, valued at approximately Rs. 8.15 crore. Three persons involved in the illicit transportation and delivery of the foreign currency have been apprehended.Further, investigation revealed that the foreign currency was being smuggled out of India through various conduits and was being used to fund inward smuggling of precious metals back into country.

Pursuant to the investigation, one such recipient of foreign exchange was intercepted at Bengaluru airport while coming back from Dubai with 1.8 kg gold, followed by recovery of around 42 kg silver, 700 grams of gold jewellery and Rs. 26.67 lakh Indian currency from his residence. This establishes a direct operational link between the illicit procurement of foreign currency in India, its smuggling abroad, and the organised smuggling of gold and silver back into the country.

In total, around 9 kg of foreign-origin smuggled gold, 42 kg silver, foreign currency valued at 8.15 crore and Rs 26.67 lakh of Indian currency has been seized in these operations and eight persons have been arrested.

Cross-border gold smuggling and illicit currency routing exposed through coordinated DRI operations linking carriers, cargo consignments, and a melting unit. Cross-border gold smuggling was detected through coordinated DRI operations involving multiple carriers, train routes and a Delhi-based illicit melting facility. Foreign-origin gold concealed on persons and in a customised waist belt was recovered, and the persons involved were arrested. A separate Chennai operation unearthed the illicit movement of foreign currency through domestic air cargo consignments, with the currency being used to finance organised smuggling of gold and silver into India.