DELHI, India — Indian authorities have arrested 26 Kenyan nationals at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport over an alleged attempt to smuggle gold worth approximately Sh525 million, in a major crackdown on cross-border trafficking networks.
The arrests were carried out by India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence following a targeted operation at Terminal 2 of the airport on April 8, based on specific intelligence and digital profiling of suspected couriers.
Officials said the group was found in possession of about 29.4 kilograms of gold, with each suspect allegedly carrying roughly 1.03 kilograms concealed in various forms. Authorities noted that most of those detained were elderly women, raising concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable individuals in transnational smuggling schemes.
According to investigators, officers monitored the suspects upon arrival and allowed them to pass through initial screening stages due to heavy passenger traffic, opting instead to intercept them after they crossed the “green channel,” designated for travellers with nothing to declare.
During the operation, some suspects reportedly attempted to evade arrest by discarding packages wrapped in black tape near luggage belts.
“Some of them began discarding objects… We recovered multiple pouches containing melted gold bars. None claimed ownership,” an official said.
Authorities later recovered several pouches containing melted gold bars and jewellery fragments from the airport premises. Two individuals were also found with gold bars concealed in their shoes during subsequent searches.
Investigators believe the group is linked to an organised smuggling syndicate operating across borders, allegedly recruiting couriers from Kenya and Sudan. The network is said to rely on tactics such as concealing contraband in clothing, shoes, and luggage compartments, as well as creating distractions at airports to bypass detection.
One of the suspects was reportedly travelling using a fake passport, adding another layer of criminal liability to the case.
The detainees have since been placed in judicial custody as authorities widen investigations to identify those coordinating the operation and dismantle the broader network.
Under India’s Customs Act, smuggling offences attract severe penalties, including confiscation of goods, hefty fines, and imprisonment of up to seven years upon conviction.
The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of airport security systems and the evolving tactics used by smuggling syndicates to evade detection in major international transit hubs.
