The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 1.202 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at approximately Rs 1.72 crore and arrested a passenger who had arrived at Lucknow railway station on a Vande Bharat Express, officials said. The gold was allegedly concealed in a specially stitched pocket beneath a knee cap worn by the passenger.
DRI officers intercepted the passenger on platform number 5 of Lucknow railway station on October 8 after receiving specific intelligence about the transportation of smuggled foreign-origin gold from Howrah to Lucknow via Varanasi. The operation was conducted with the assistance of the Railway Protection Force in Lucknow.
According to the DRI, officials recovered six pieces of high-purity gold during the search. The seized material comprised three chains, one half-bar and two small cut pieces. The passenger allegedly failed to produce documents establishing lawful possession of the gold.
The passenger had travelled on Vande Bharat Express 22489 after departing from Howrah. The DRI said he had allegedly attempted to avoid detection by changing trains at Varanasi or Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction instead of travelling directly from Howrah to Lucknow.
The seized gold was valued at approximately Rs 1,72,34,373 and confiscated under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The passenger was also arrested under the same Act. The agency has begun further investigation to identify other members of the alleged smuggling syndicate and establish the network involved in moving foreign-origin gold.
The seizure highlights the role of railway stations and long-distance train routes in customs enforcement operations. The DRI’s account indicates that the interception was based on advance intelligence and carried out after the passenger deboarded at a busy urban rail terminal, with the RPF supporting the operation.
The agency said it had seized a total of 14.47 kg of smuggled foreign-origin gold valued at approximately Rs 21 crore in nine cases across Uttar Pradesh since January 2026. Ten people have been arrested in connection with those cases.
Further investigation into the Lucknow seizure is continuing, including efforts to identify the alleged network behind the transportation of the gold and establish the roles of other people who may have been involved.
