Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit, has arrested five persons, including a Dubai-bound passenger and two airport cleaning staff, after busting an alleged gold smuggling syndicate at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and seizing 3.866 kg of smuggled gold dust in wax form valued at ₹5.63 crore.According to the DRI’s remand application filed before a Mumbai court, the operation was launched after officers received specific intelligence that passenger Mohamed Urwa, arriving from Dubai on Emirates flight EK504 on July 22, would conceal smuggled gold inside the aircraft, which would later be retrieved by airport housekeeping staff.DRI officers intercepted Urwa after he disembarked around 12.30 pm and kept surveillance on the aircraft. As the cleaning crew entered the aircraft, officers observed two AGH Port Aviation Services employees, Rajesh Manjrekar and Zaheer Qureshi, leaving the aircraft after about 15-20 minutes. They were intercepted and taken to the Customs camp office for examination.During the personal search of Qureshi, officers allegedly recovered two unusually heavy black pouches from his trouser pockets. After removing black adhesive tape, the pouches were found to contain gold dust in wax form. A government-approved valuer certified the recovered material as 24-carat gold, weighing 3,866 grams gross (3,760 grams net) and valued at ₹5,63,62,400.During interrogation, Qureshi allegedly told investigators that he had retrieved the pouches from a concealed location inside the aircraft lavatory on the instructions of supervisor Rajesh Manjrekar. Manjrekar allegedly admitted that he was working for a handler identified as Mohammed Ajhar Kazi alias Aamir, who had instructed him to supervise the recovery of smuggled gold from aircraft toilets in return for money.Following a controlled operation, DRI officers intercepted Ajhar outside the airport. He allegedly disclosed that he was working under the instructions of Mohammed Ahmed alias Mustaf, who was also apprehended the same day.The agency stated that statements of all five accused were recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act, in which they allegedly admitted their respective roles in handling smuggled foreign-origin gold.According to DRI, had the gold been imported legally through the baggage route, customs duty of approximately ₹2.48 crore would have been payable. The agency alleged that the smuggling attempt resulted in duty evasion well above the statutory threshold prescribed under the Customs Act.The DRI told the court that investigations are continuing to identify other members of the syndicate, trace the source of the gold, examine alleged hawala transactions, identify the ultimate beneficiaries, and uncover the complete international smuggling network. It argued that the accused could influence witnesses, tamper with evidence, or coordinate with absconding conspirators if released.All five accused have been arrested under Sections 104 and 135 of the Customs Act, 1962. Their lawyer Ravi Hirani said that his clients were unaware the gold was smuggled one. The DRI has sought 14 days’ judicial custody, stating that the case involves an organised international gold smuggling syndicate and requires further investigation.
