This 'worn gear' package hid gold worth ₹21.4 crore: Here's how smuggling racket worked

In a major crackdown on organised gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled an international gold smuggling syndicate operating through Delhi and seized 15 kg of foreign-origin gold worth approximately ₹21.4 crore. Four individuals, including a repeat offender and a foreign national, have been arrested in connection with the case.

The operation began after DRI officers intercepted an international courier consignment arriving from Thailand at the Courier Terminal in Delhi, according to officials. The shipment had been declared as "worn gear" to avoid suspicion. However, a detailed examination revealed that the consignment concealed eight disc-shaped pieces of foreign-origin gold, each weighing 1.5 kg, hidden inside mechanical components. A total of 12 kg of smuggled gold was recovered from the package.

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Acting on intelligence gathered during the investigation, DRI teams simultaneously conducted searches at multiple locations linked to the intended recipient and the alleged mastermind of the operation. These raids led to the recovery of two additional gold discs weighing 1.5 kg each, taking the total seizure to 15 kg.

The syndicate had developed a sophisticated method of concealing gold within industrial machine parts and shipping it through courier channels to evade customs scrutiny, officials said. Preliminary investigations indicate that the network had international links, with Thailand serving as a key transit point in the smuggling route.

The DRI arrested four accused, including a foreign national and an individual previously involved in similar smuggling activities. All four have been booked under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, and further investigations are underway to identify additional members of the network and trace the financial trail behind the operation.

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The seizure is among the largest gold-smuggling busts reported in Delhi this year and highlights the growing use of courier consignments and disguised imports by international smuggling networks. Authorities are now examining whether the accused were linked to other cross-border gold trafficking operations uncovered in recent months.