India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 5.1 kg of gold worth ₹7.49 crore during a night-long operation at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, on 18 July. Three retail-concession employees and three Filipino transit passengers were arrested. Investigators say the smugglers exploited secure zones and duty-free back corridors to move gold from arriving transit passengers to landside contacts, bypassing customs inspection. The case underscores the ongoing security challenge of insider collusion at Indian airports just as passenger volumes rebound to pre-pandemic levels. For mobility managers the incident is a reminder that unannounced security sweeps can trigger sudden queue spikes and secondary screening, potentially impacting connection times. Companies moving high-value prototypes or jewellery samples should ensure hand-carry consignments have full paperwork to avoid being caught in blanket checks. DRI officials told Hindustan Times that surveillance has been increased at Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi, and that additional canine units will patrol international-transit corridors through the festive season.
Source: Hindustan Times
