Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai
Mumbai, May 16: In a significant breakthrough, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has cracked down on a gold smuggling racket, seizing 1.4 kilograms of gold and arresting two individuals — an airport immigration staffer and a Bangladeshi national.
The accused have been identified as Anil Rai, a long-time Class IV contractual employee with the immigration department, and Mohammed Imran Hossain, a Bangladeshi passport holder who had arrived from Dubai and was transiting to Bangladesh.
According to sources, Rai was caught red-handed on Wednesday morning while attempting to smuggle the gold out of the airport. The contraband, valued at several crores, was handed to Rai inside a restroom by Hossain, evading standard security procedures. The gold was cleverly concealed in multiple pouches.
"Rai’s job was to collect the gold from the transit passenger and pass it on to a contact waiting outside the airport," a source informed. However, the operation was foiled when customs officials intercepted Rai and discovered the concealed gold during a routine search.
Upon interrogation, Rai confessed to his role and identified Hossain as the courier. The exchange took place near the toilet at the international transit transfer counter. Hossain, when questioned, revealed the name of a handler — believed to be the mastermind — who is now on the run. A massive manhunt has been launched to trace this individual and uncover further links in the international smuggling syndicate.
Investigations also indicate that Rai may have previously assisted the smuggling network by bypassing security checks, raising concerns over deeper collusion within airport staff.
Both Rai and Hossain were produced before the Esplanade (Killa) Court on Thursday. The court has remanded them to custody as investigations continue. Authorities are also probing the possible involvement of other immigration officials in the syndicate.
This bust adds to the growing list of smuggling attempts at India’s busiest airports, highlighting the challenges faced by enforcement agencies in curbing cross-border gold smuggling networks.