Mumbai: Customs officials on Sunday arrested a man employed at an eatery at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after recovering four capsules containing gold dust worth Rs 1.2 crore concealed in a sock in his trouser pocket.
Customs officials said that Ashish Ravindra Yadav (25) was intercepted during profiling of airport staffers at the exit gate located at Level P-10 of the airport. During his personal search, officials recovered a white sock containing four brown oval-shaped capsules suspected to contain gold dust. Authorities said the seized gold dust in wax form weighed around 1,470 grams.
Yadav allegedly admitted to carrying and handling the contraband on behalf of another person in exchange for Rs 5,000. He told investigators that the gold belonged to a transit passenger.
Recently, the Centre increased import duty on gold to 15%, as a result the price of the yellow metal has shot up, leading to fears of increased smuggling activity at the city airport.
Modus Operandi and Investigation
The arrest highlights the growing trend of using airport staff to smuggle gold. Yadav, who worked at a food outlet, exploited his access to secure areas. The gold was concealed in wax capsules to avoid detection, a common method used by smugglers.
Customs officials are now investigating the transit passenger who allegedly owned the gold. They are also reviewing CCTV footage and staff records to identify potential accomplices.
Impact of Import Duty Hike
The recent increase in gold import duty from 10% to 15% has made gold more expensive in India, widening the price gap between domestic and international markets. This has incentivized smuggling, as illegal gold can be sold at a significant profit. Mumbai airport, being a major international hub, has seen a rise in such incidents.
Officials have urged airlines and airport authorities to tighten security protocols and conduct regular profiling of staff.
