DRI Cracks Chinese‑Led Gold Smuggling Ring in Mumbai

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence’s Mumbai Zonal Unit announced a dramatic bust of an overseas gold‑smuggling syndicate earlier this week. Officers say the gang, allegedly steered by Chinese nationals, tried to slip nearly 692 grams of 24‑carat gold through a seemingly ordinary cargo shipment.

The precious metal was ingeniously tucked away inside the motor of a treadmill that had been shipped from Hong Kong to the city’s Air Cargo Complex. When customs officials inspected the consignment, the hidden cache – valued at roughly Rs 1.10 crore – was uncovered.

Two people were taken into custody on the spot: a Chinese citizen and an Indian associate who was managing the importing firm. Both have been booked under the Customs Act, 1962, and are currently undergoing interrogation.

Following the seizure, DRI teams fanned out across several locations – from bustling streets in Mumbai to parts of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu – to root out any further links in the network. Early findings suggest the smugglers had been using legitimate commercial imports as a cover, slipping gold into everyday goods to evade detection.

While the investigation is still unfolding, the bust sends a clear message that cross‑border smuggling operations will meet a swift response from Indian enforcement agencies. Details on the broader conspiracy and any additional arrests are expected in the coming days.