In what is being described as the largest gold smuggling bust at Surat International Airport, authorities seized gold worth over ₹20 crore from a middle-aged Indian couple who arrived from Dubai late on July 20.

The operation unfolded around 10 PM when the couple, both Indian nationals from Gujarat, landed at Surat Airport on Air India flight IX-174 from Dubai. Personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), dressed in plain clothes, noticed suspicious behavior and unnatural body movements, particularly a bulge around their waist and stomach areas.

Without alerting the duo, the CISF discreetly monitored their movement and quickly alerted the Customs Department. The couple — the man in a shirt and trousers, and the woman in a traditional salwar suit — were intercepted and subjected to a thorough check.

The search led to a significant discovery: the woman had 16 kg of gold paste strapped to her upper body, while the man was carrying 12 kg, both hidden around their midsection. The combined 28 kg of gold paste is believed to contain over 20 kg of pure gold, valued at more than ₹20 crore in the global market.

A senior officer involved in the bust stated that this is likely the biggest gold seizure ever recorded at the airport. The success was credited to keen behavioral observation and swift coordination between CISF and Customs authorities.

“This case proves how alertness and cooperation between agencies can prevent even the most calculated smuggling attempts,” the officer noted.

The couple has been taken into custody, and a detailed interrogation is underway. Authorities suspect possible links to an international smuggling syndicate and are probing deeper into the route and handlers involved.