DRI Arrests Air India Crew Member, Handler For Smuggling Rs 1.41 Crore Gold From New York At CSMIA

Mumbai: In a significant breakthrough against cross-border smuggling operations, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested an Air India crew member and and his alleged handler for attempting to smuggle gold worth over Rs 1.41 crore into India through Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) both accused was produced before a magistrate’s court on Saturday, which remanded them to 14 days’ judicial custody.

Acting on specific intelligence, the DRI’s Mumbai Zonal Unit intercepted Air India crew member Girish Ravaji Pimpale (42) on Friday, who had just arrived from New York on flight AI-116 on June 13. Officials apprehended him near the airport’s exit after he crossed the customs green channel, suspecting he was carrying undeclared contraband.

A personal search yielded incriminating documents, including a pink valet parking slip and a sticky note with handwritten calculations detailing for 1373.2 grams of gold, its purchase and sale value, and potential profit margins from gold smuggling. Pimpale allegedly admitted to concealing the gold near a sofa in the international arrival baggage services to avoid customs detection.

A follow-up search led to the seizure of a pouch containing six yellow metal pieces, three gold bars and three cut pieces totaling 1373.07 grams valued at Rs 1.41 crore. The gold, of foreign origin, was neither declared under the Crew Baggage Declaration nor accompanied by any valid documents as required under the Customs Act, 1962.

Pimpale revealed that the operation was masterminded and financed by Rakesh Rathod, a known offender previously booked in a 2020 gold smuggling case by Mumbai Customs. In a follow-up action, the DRI recorded Rathod’s statement under Section 108 of the Customs Act. Rathod allegedly admitted to orchestrating the smuggling network and supplying USD 150,000 in the U.S. to Pimpale through an associate for the purchase of the seized gold.

During questioning, Rathod reportedly admitted to running the smuggling network and claimed that this was not the first instance; he had received smuggled gold from Pimpale on at least two prior occasions. He allegedly offered Pimpale a commission of Rs 2 lakh per kilogram of gold smuggled into India.

However, officials informed the court that both the accused remained uncooperative and evasive during interrogation. They allegedly withheld crucial information about the broader smuggling network, including the source of funds, identities of gold buyers operating within India, and the possible involvement of foreign nationals or hawala operators used to route illicit money transfers.

Officials pointed out that the value of the seized gold exceeds the Rs1 crore threshold, making the offence non-bailable under Sections 135(1)(a)(i)(A) and 135(1)(b)(i)(A) of the Customs Act, 1962. The gold was also allegedly imported in violation of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, which imposes strict import conditions.

Given the gravity of the offense and its international implications, the DRI has sought 14 days of judicial custody for both accused. The agency argued that releasing them at this stage could jeopardize the investigation, as efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the smuggling syndicate.

The defence counsel, Aditya Talpade and Pratik Karande, appearing for Pimpale, contested the DRI’s allegations, arguing that the gold was not recovered directly from their client, stating that the seizure lacked direct physical linkage to Pimpale at the time of arrest.