# Customs seize Rs 26 crore gold, Rs 52 crore weed in Mumbai airport crackdown

2026-09-24T02:22:29+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Mumbai Airport Customs registered over 130 smuggling cases in the past month, seizing 19.65 kg of gold worth Rs 26 crore and 149 kg of hydroponic weed valued at Rs 52 crore. Fifty-five persons were arrested, including 37 in weed-related cases and 13 in gold smuggling cases, agency sources said. Officers also seized foreign currencies worth Rs 3.37 crore, commercial goods including iPhones and laptops valued at Rs 1.18 crore, and diamonds worth Rs 1.19 crore. Separately, the DRI and BSF seized about 12 kg of foreign-origin gold worth nearly Rs 17 crore in West Bengal and Patna, targeting the Bangladesh smuggling route. Gold bars were recovered near the border fence and from a train passenger who concealed them in a cloth knee cap. In Ahmedabad, DRI officials arrested a Ugandan national and seized 981 grams of cocaine hidden inside a trolley bag at the airport.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Freepress Journal leads with the volume and value of seizures, framing the enforcement as sustained and successful. India Today narrows its focus to the Bangladesh route and inter-agency coordination, omitting the Mumbai haul. New Indian Express covers a single cocaine seizure in Ahmedabad with no cross-reference to other DRI operations. The combined picture shows a broad but fragmented enforcement drive. The DRI's Ahmedabad probe into the cocaine supply chain may reveal wider networks in coming weeks.

## Coverage

- freepressjournal.in (neutral report) <https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-airport-customs-seize-26-crore-gold-52-crore-weed-in-over-130-smuggling-cases-in-one-month>
  Straight enumeration of cases, seizures, and arrests, no editorial framing.
- indiatoday.in (neutral report) <https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dri-bsf-seize-rs-17-crore-gold-in-crackdown-on-bangladesh-smuggling-route-3001643-2026-09-24?utm_source=rss>
  Factual account of DRI-BSF operations with dates and locations, no slant.
- newindianexpress.com (neutral report) <https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/gujarat/2026/Sep/25/dri-seizes-981-gm-cocaine-from-ugandan-national-at-ahmedabad-airport>
  Descriptive report of a single seizure, no broader commentary or criticism.

Tags: Bangladesh border, BSF, DRI, gold smuggling, hydroponic weed, Mumbai Customs
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