New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a major trans-border gold smuggling syndicate operating across India, Dubai and Bangladesh, seizing foreign-origin gold worth over ₹40 crore along with cash amounting to ₹2.9 crore.
According to an official statement, the operation was carried out following specific intelligence inputs, leading to coordinated searches in Delhi and Agartala. On January 6, 2026, DRI officials apprehended a key member of the syndicate at a domestic logistics warehouse while he was taking delivery of two consignments that had originated from Agartala, Tripura.
Upon examination, officials recovered 15 kg of foreign-origin gold bearing international refinery markings, valued at approximately ₹20.73 crore. Parallel searches at multiple locations in Delhi and Agartala led to the seizure of an additional 14.2 kg of smuggled gold and ₹2.90 crore in cash, which included Indian and Bangladeshi currency notes.
In total, the DRI seized 29.2 kg of gold valued at around ₹40 crore and arrested four members of the smuggling network under provisions of the Customs Act.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the syndicate was smuggling gold into India through the Indo–Bangladesh border via Tripura. The consignment was then transported to Delhi using domestic cargo services, with the involvement of handlers based in Dubai and Bangladesh, as well as local operatives running jewellery businesses in Agartala.
Officials said the operation has disrupted a well-organised international network and reaffirmed the DRI’s role in curbing illicit trade that poses a threat to India’s economic and fiscal stability. Further investigation into the syndicate’s wider links and financial trail is currently underway.
