Air India Crew Member Nabbed with ₹1.41 Crore in Smuggled Gold at Mumbai Airport
Air India Crew Member Nabbed with ₹1.41 Crore in Smuggled Gold at Mumbai Airport
A crew member of Air India has been arrested for allegedly smuggling over 1.37 kilograms of foreign-origin gold valued at ₹1.41 crore, shortly after landing in India from the United States.
The Mumbai zonal unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted the crew member on Friday at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) following his arrival from New York on flight AI-116. The operation was part of a targeted investigation based on specific intelligence inputs regarding a gold smuggling syndicate operating through airline staff.
Initial frisking yielded no results; however, during sustained questioning, the crew member allegedly confessed to hiding a pouch containing gold bars—wrapped in black duct tape—near the baggage services area. This was reportedly done while he underwent a routine post-flight breathalyser test. DRI officials later recovered the pouch, which contained 1.373 kg of smuggled gold.
In a voluntary statement, the accused admitted to smuggling gold on multiple occasions in the past. Acting on this lead, DRI teams conducted a follow-up operation and arrested another suspect believed to be the mastermind of the smuggling network. The individual is accused of coordinating the use of airline crew for illicit gold transport and has reportedly confessed to his role in the operation.
Both individuals are currently in custody and have been booked under the Customs Act, 1962.
A DRI official confirmed, “The agency has been consistently exposing the involvement of airline personnel and ground staff in gold smuggling activities.”
This case adds to a series of similar incidents, including a major bust in September 2023, when DRI arrested six individuals—among them a private airline security staffer—for their involvement in another smuggling racket.
Despite repeated attempts, Air India has not commented on the ongoing investigation.
