DRI busts gold smuggling racket using treadmill motors, arrests two
DRI seized a 692-gram gold bar worth ₹1.10 crore hidden in a treadmill motor at Mumbai Air Cargo, arresting two in a smuggling probe.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled an international gold-smuggling operation allegedly run by Chinese nationals, following a targeted inspection at Mumbai's Air Cargo Complex. The action, carried out between September 3 and September 6, 2026, led to the recovery of a 24-carat gold bar weighing approximately 692 grams and valued at ₹1.10 crore.
The gold was discovered concealed inside the motor of an imported treadmill that was part of a consignment from Hong Kong. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted and examined the shipment, uncovering the arc-shaped gold bar cleverly hidden within the machinery.
A Chinese national and the Indian owner of the importing firm have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962. According to DRI sources, this marks the first instance where gold has been found hidden inside a treadmill, although smugglers have previously used other commercial goods for concealment.
Investigations suggest that Chinese nationals, working with Indian accomplices, designed this concealment method to smuggle gold through seemingly legitimate commercial imports. The Indian firm's owner allegedly permitted the syndicate to use the company's Importer Exporter Code (IEC) and import licence for a commission, while being fully aware of the illegal nature of the consignment.
DRI is currently probing the commission structure, including the amount paid to the importing firm and whether similar arrangements were used for earlier shipments. Following the seizure, search operations were conducted at multiple locations in Mumbai, Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu to identify other network members.
The suspected mastermind behind the syndicate remains at large, and officials indicate that the investigation into the broader network will take time to complete.