FAST READ
- DRI seized around 41 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at about Rs 62 crore.
- Six intelligence-led operations resulted in 24 arrests, including 3 foreign nationals.
- Operations exposed airport, railway and Indo-Bangladesh border routes.
WHY IN NEWS
- On 10 September 2026, DRI reported a multi-city crackdown on organised gold smuggling.
- The cases highlight customs enforcement, illicit finance, insider collusion and adaptive concealment methods.
TOP DATA & FACTS
- Total gold seized: about 41 kg.
- Approximate value: Rs 62 crore.
- Number of intelligence-led operations: 6.
- Total arrests: 24.
- Foreign nationals arrested: 3.
- Delhi residential-facility seizure: about 10.2 kg.
- Foreign-origin bars in that Delhi seizure: 4 bars of 1 kg each.
- Second Delhi seizure: 1.21 kg gold.
- Foreign currency in second Delhi case: about Rs 43.50 lakh.
- Indo-Bangladesh border seizure: 89 pieces weighing about 11.3 kg.
- Howrah seizure: 4 defaced bars weighing 4.6 kg.
- Mumbai hot pursuit distance: about 50 km.
- Calicut operations: 2.
- Calicut combined seizure: about 1.7 kg.
- One Calicut concealment involved 770 grams in compound.
PRELIMS
- DRI is India's apex intelligence and investigative agency for combating customs-related commercial fraud and smuggling.
- Gold smuggling can involve airports, land borders, rail corridors and domestic conversion networks.
- Enforcement must target networks and finance, not only individual couriers.
QUICK REVISION
- Total gold seized: about 41 kg.
- Approximate value: Rs 62 crore.
- Number of intelligence-led operations: 6.
- Total arrests: 24.
- Foreign nationals arrested: 3.
- Delhi residential-facility seizure: about 10.2 kg.
- Foreign-origin bars in that Delhi seizure: 4 bars of 1 kg each.
- Second Delhi seizure: 1.21 kg gold.
PROBABLE OBJECTIVE QUESTION
Consider the following statements:
- DRI reported around 41 kg gold seized in six operations.
- The operations included routes through airports, rail and the Indo-Bangladesh border.
- Gold smuggling has no connection with customs enforcement.