Bengaluru airport gold seizure operations led to the arrest of two passengers and the recovery of 1.20 kg of high-purity gold valued at Rs 1.79 crore, after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said the metal had been concealed beneath baggage trolleys.
The two passengers had arrived at Bengaluru airport from Kuala Lumpur, according to the DRI. Acting on intelligence inputs, DRI investigators kept them under surveillance after their arrival. The agency said it recovered 12 gold biscuits concealed in two packets attached to the underside of luggage trolleys.
The seized gold had a purity of 999.9 fineness, or 24 karat, and weighed 1,200.40 grams. Its assessed value was Rs 1,78,88,360, the DRI said. The concealment material and the baggage trolleys were also seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
According to sources cited by the DRI, the suspects allegedly attached the packets to the bottom of the trolleys and then moved away. The method was intended to avoid carrying the gold directly through the customs process, the sources said.
The investigators said the trolleys were subsequently used by unsuspecting passengers to carry their luggage. The suspects allegedly followed the movement of those passengers and the trolleys, intending to allow them to move beyond the customs-controlled area before retrieving the concealed gold.
The case highlights how airport smuggling investigations can involve not only passengers and baggage but also common-use infrastructure within the terminal. Baggage trolleys are handled by multiple travellers and move between controlled and public areas, making the agency’s account relevant to the functioning of customs surveillance and terminal operations.
The DRI has arrested the two passengers in connection with the seizure. The agency said further investigation is underway. The seized gold, concealment material and trolleys will remain part of the proceedings under the Customs Act, 1962, as investigators examine the alleged smuggling method and the circumstances surrounding the attempted retrieval.
