Ahmedabad, July 22, 2026
Ahmedabad Customs has seized 129.18 grams of 24-carat gold worth Rs 19.48 lakh from two passengers arriving from Dubai after officers discovered the precious metal concealed as gold paste inside the collars of their shirts, in the latest in a series of smuggling cases detected at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA), Ahmedabad.
According to Ahmedabad Customs, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted the two male passengers after they arrived on IndiGo flight 6E-1478 from Dubai on Wednesday.
The operation was carried out based on specific intelligence received from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
During a detailed examination, officers found that the passengers had “ingeniously concealed gold paste inside the collars of their shirts”.
The recovered paste was processed and converted into 24-carat TT bars with a net weight of 129.18 grams and an estimated market value of Rs 19,48,034.
Customs officials said the gold has been seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and that further investigation is underway. Officials identified the two passengers as residents of Mumbai and Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra.
The seizure adds to a string of gold smuggling cases detected at Ahmedabad airport in recent weeks, with Dubai continuing to feature prominently as the point of origin in many interceptions.
On July 15, DRI and Ahmedabad Customs jointly seized gold paste worth about Rs 4.31 crore from a passenger who had allegedly concealed it in specially modified undergarments after arriving from Dubai.
In another case on July 16, Ahmedabad Customs seized 233 grams of 24-carat gold worth Rs 34.29 lakh from a woman passenger arriving from Abu Dhabi after the gold was allegedly concealed inside her burqa.
Earlier this month, officials also intercepted a woman arriving from Abu Dhabi and recovered 729 grams of gold valued at Rs 98.78 lakh that had allegedly been concealed in her belongings and clothing.
Ahmedabad airport has also witnessed larger recoveries in recent months.
In June, Customs officers recovered 24 foreign-origin gold biscuits weighing 2.799 kg and valued at about Rs 4.26 crore after they were found concealed inside the lavatory of a Dubai-bound aircraft, with investigations launched to identify those behind the smuggling attempt.
The repeated seizures reflect continued enforcement efforts by Customs and DRI against increasingly sophisticated methods used to smuggle gold through international flights arriving in Ahmedabad.(Agency)
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