Mumbai Airport Customs Busts Gold Smuggling Syndicate At CSMIA; Airline Employee And Sri Lankan National Arrested
Mumbai, October 23, 2026: Customs officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport have dismantled an alleged gold smuggling operation, leading to the arrest of an airline employee and a Sri Lankan national travelling as an international transit passenger. Acting on intelligence and passenger profiling, security agencies monitored a suspected transit route involving airport staff.…
Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport customs authorities have dismantled an alleged gold smuggling syndicate, resulting in the arrest of an airline employee and a Sri Lankan national. Intelligence and passenger profiling led to the monitoring of a suspected transit route involving airport staff. The operation culminated in the arrest of N. Yadav (30), a Bhiwandi resident, and Mohamed Usman Mohamed Hanifa (43) in the departure area.
A search revealed 1,445 grams of gold dust concealed in Hanifa's undergarments. Hanifa confessed to being a mule for an overseas syndicate, while Yadav admitted to collaborating with him in exchange for payment. Authorities warned of the serious security risk posed by airline staff involvement in such operations, as it could enable syndicates to smuggle more dangerous contraband, potentially compromising national security and causing financial losses.
The investigation is at a critical stage, with investigators working to map out the broader network.
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