Two passengers arriving at Bengaluru airport from Malaysia attempted to smuggle gold by hiding it beneath baggage trolleys. They intended for unsuspecting travelers to push the carts through customs, planning to retrieve the contraband later. However, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence intercepted this unusual plot through surveillance.
Two passengers arriving at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport allegedly came up with an unusual way to get smuggled gold past customs checks. Instead of carrying the gold through the airport themselves, they reportedly hid it beneath baggage trolleys that other passengers could use without knowing what was attached to them.
The plan was intercepted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which seized 12 gold biscuits worth nearly Rs 1.8 crore, according to a Times of India report published on October 8.
The DRI’s Bengaluru zonal unit had placed the two passengers under surveillance after they arrived from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Officials reportedly watched as the pair attached packets containing gold beneath baggage trolleys before walking away.
Their apparent intention was to keep the gold out of their own possession while it passed through the airport’s customs-controlled area. The trolleys would then be used by unsuspecting passengers to move their luggage, potentially allowing the concealed packets to cross customs checks without attracting attention.
Investigators suspect the duo planned to follow the passengers using those trolleys and retrieve the gold once the luggage carts had moved beyond the customs-controlled zone. The unsuspecting travellers would, in effect, have become part of the alleged smuggling plan without realising it.
However, DRI officers detected the activity and intervened before the plan could succeed. They recovered 12 gold biscuits concealed in two packets.
The case highlights the unusual methods smugglers may use to evade airport security and customs inspections. Concealing contraband on baggage trolleys, rather than carrying it directly, appears to have been an attempt to distance the suspects from the gold while it moved through the airport.
The seizure also underlines the role of intelligence-led surveillance in identifying suspicious activity at busy international airports, where thousands of passengers and luggage carts move through controlled areas every day.
The investigation is expected to focus on establishing the source of the gold, the intended recipients and whether others were involved in the alleged operation.
