Directorate of Revenue Intelligence Seizes ₹62 Crore Smuggled Gold in Pan-India Operations

In an official press release, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) under the Ministry of Finance detailed a series of six intelligence-led nationwide operations targeting international gold smuggling networks. Officers intercepted and seized approximately 41 kg of foreign-origin gold with an estimated market value of ₹62 crore, leading to the arrest of 24 individuals, including three foreign nationals. The multi-state enforcement actions unveiled sophisticated methods used by smuggling syndicates operating through major airports, railway routes, and the Indo-Bangladesh border. During a key raid on September 7 in Delhi, DRI officials uncovered an illegal manufacturing facility operating inside a residential property equipped with specialized machinery for melting, rolling, and die-cutting gold. Officers seized four 1-kg foreign-origin gold bars alongside 6.2 kg of gold chains crafted from smuggled bullion at the site. Subsequent operations included the interception of a vehicle originating from Punjab, yielding 1.21 kg of gold and ₹43.50 lakh in foreign currency, as well as a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF) near the Indo-Bangladesh border that resulted in the recovery of 89 foreign gold bars weighing 11.3 kg. The official announcement underscores the central government's intensified enforcement strategy against illicit financial networks, protecting revenue streams and curbing illegal cross-border trade.