The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a pan-India syndicate involved in the organised smuggling and distribution of foreign-origin gold through courier networks. In a coordinated operation conducted across multiple cities, the agency seized 6.61 kg of smuggled gold valued at approximately Rs 10.36 crore and arrested 11 people, including one alleged mastermind of the network.
According to the DRI, the syndicate had established an extensive logistics chain for moving smuggled gold from the Indo-Bangladesh border areas of West Bengal and Assam to several parts of the country. The investigation has indicated that the network transported nearly 318 kg of smuggled gold, estimated to be worth around Rs 475 crore, through courier channels over a period of nine months during the current calendar year.
The operation followed specific intelligence inputs regarding the regular movement of foreign-origin gold through the Indo-Bangladesh border. The smuggled metal was allegedly brought into the country before being routed through courier consignments to destinations including Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad.
Acting on the intelligence, the DRI launched a coordinated multi-city operation on September 23 and 24, 2026. Simultaneous interception and search activities were carried out in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Guwahati as part of the investigation.
During the operation, DRI officials intercepted live courier consignments containing suspected smuggled gold. The consignments had been booked from Guwahati and Kolkata and were destined for recipients in Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad. Seven recipients associated with these consignments were apprehended.
At the same time, searches were conducted at the premises of consignors and shippers in Kolkata. These searches resulted in the apprehension of three additional individuals allegedly linked to the network. In a subsequent follow-up action in Mumbai, investigators also apprehended an individual identified as one of the persons coordinating the dispatch and delivery of the smuggled gold.
The investigation has revealed that the syndicate allegedly adopted a method of dividing the smuggled gold into several smaller courier packages. These consignments were then dispatched from Guwahati and Kolkata to different recipients in major cities, where the gold was intended for distribution in the domestic market.
Investigators also found that several consignors, shippers and recipients associated with the consignments appeared to be paper entities or persons without legitimate gold-related business activities. According to the DRI, this arrangement was used to disguise the movement of the smuggled metal and make it more difficult to trace the complete supply chain.
A total of 6.61 kg of foreign-origin gold in bar form was recovered from the intercepted consignments. The seized gold, valued at approximately Rs 10.36 crore, has been confiscated under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. Eleven individuals linked to the syndicate have been arrested in connection with the case.
The scale of the operation has emerged from the preliminary examination of documentary evidence collected during the investigation. Officials found that the network had allegedly moved approximately 318 kg of smuggled gold, with an estimated value of Rs 475 crore, through the same courier-based distribution system over the preceding nine months.
The DRI said the investigation remains ongoing, with further examination of the financial records, courier transactions and other evidence expected to establish the full extent of the network and identify additional persons involved.
The operation underscores the agency’s efforts to target organised gold-smuggling networks beyond traditional border routes. By focusing on the logistics and distribution mechanisms used after gold enters the country, the DRI is seeking to disrupt the wider supply chain through which smuggled gold reaches domestic markets.
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Author: Shivam
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