New Delhi: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs Department has uncovered a major gold smuggling attempt at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi, seizing nearly 3.5 kilograms of smuggled gold from an Indian-origin US citizen. Officials alleged that the accused concealed gold bars inside specially designed belts and hidden pockets stitched into his trousers in an attempt to evade airport screening. The seized gold is estimated to be worth several crores of rupees in the international market.
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Passenger Intercepted After Arrival From San Francisco
According to Customs officials, authorities had intensified surveillance and passenger profiling in recent weeks following a noticeable rise in gold smuggling attempts through international flights. Based on risk assessment and intelligence inputs, officers identified a suspicious passenger who arrived in Delhi on May 15 aboard Air India flight AI-4174 from San Francisco.
Officials said the passenger attempted to cross the green channel at the international arrivals terminal, but his movements and behaviour raised suspicion. He was subsequently intercepted for a detailed examination in the presence of independent witnesses. During the search, officers allegedly recovered 115 gold bars concealed within his clothing.
115 Gold Bars Found in Modified Clothing
Investigators said the accused had used specially modified garments to transport the gold. The inner lining of the belt and trousers reportedly contained secret compartments carefully designed to hold the bullion in a manner that would avoid immediate detection during routine checks. Customs authorities stated that the recovered gold weighed a total of 3,565 grams and was found to be of 24-carat purity.
The Customs Department seized the gold under Section 110 of the Customs Act and arrested the accused under Section 104. Officials said the passenger is being questioned to determine whether he was acting independently or as part of a larger international smuggling syndicate. Investigators are now examining his travel history, financial transactions, communication records and possible local receivers connected to the consignment.
Wider Smuggling Network Suspected
Sources associated with the probe indicated that authorities are also exploring potential links between the seized consignment and organised transnational smuggling networks. In recent months, several airport seizures across India have revealed increasingly sophisticated concealment methods adopted by smugglers, including hiding gold inside clothing, electronic devices, food packets and personal-use items.
Experts believe that the rise in customs duties and import taxes on gold has contributed to a renewed increase in illegal gold trafficking activities. The significant price gap between legally imported gold and smuggled bullion reportedly provides strong incentives for organised networks to bypass official channels. Enforcement agencies say smugglers are constantly evolving their methods, making detection more challenging.
Renowned cyber and financial crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that modern economic crimes and smuggling operations are no longer limited to traditional carriers and cash transactions. According to him, many such cases involve hawala channels, cross-border fund movements and organised international syndicates operating through layered financial networks.
He added that risk-based passenger profiling, digital travel analytics and intelligence-sharing mechanisms have become critical tools in identifying suspicious movements at airports. He also stressed that close coordination between customs, intelligence and financial investigation agencies is essential to curb large-scale smuggling operations.
