Kenyan women arrested with smuggled gold worth Rs 19.15 crore

Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs Department arrested two Kenyan women at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai and recovered 32 kg of gold worth ₹19.15 crore from them. The women, who were carrying the gold hidden in their undergarments and baggage, raised suspicion when they arrived from Nairobi. Acting on spot profiling, the AIU officers apprehended them separately. One woman was carrying 11 kg of gold, while the other had 21 kg. The seized 22 KT gold comprised 28 bars and 70 pieces, weighing a total of 32.79 kg. Investigation revealed that the arrested persons were Kenyan nationals used as carriers by an internationally operated gold smuggling gang.

It seems so that they have connections in Mumbai. “We are checking their travel history to find out if they have been involved in gold smuggling incidents earlier or this is their first offence. Besides, we aim to identify their contact in Mumbai to whom they wanted to supply the smuggled gold,” the official said. A customs official said the two were arrested under the Customs Act, produced in court and sent to judicial custody.