Passenger bound for Dubai caught with foreign currency worth over ₹50 lakh at the city airport

In a coordinated operation, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, and the Customs Department at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport seized undeclared foreign currency equivalent to ₹50.62 lakh from a passenger attempting to travel to Dubai on Tuesday.

According to sources, the operation was carried out based on specific intelligence input received by the DRI, alerting officials to a possible attempt to smuggle foreign currency out of the country.

Acting swiftly, officers from the DRI’s Ahmedabad Zonal Unit and the Customs unit at the airport jointly intercepted an Indian national who was preparing to board IndiGo flight No 6E-1477 bound for Dubai.

During a detailed examination of the passenger’s checked-in baggage and personal belongings, officers discovered foreign currency worth ₹50.62 lakh, which included €30,000 and US $22,500.

The currency was meticulously wrapped in black adhesive tape and concealed within the checked-in suitcase, apparently in an attempt to evade detection.

Officials said the concealment method and the passenger’s travel pattern suggested that the attempt was part of a larger network engaged in illegal outward remittances or hawala transactions. “The passenger failed to declare the currency as required under law. The concealment in the checked baggage indicates deliberate smuggling activity,” said an official.

The seized currency has been confiscated under provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and relevant sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 2016. The passenger has been detained for questioning, and further inquiry is underway to trace the source of the currency and identify potential accomplices or beneficiaries in Dubai.

Preliminary estimates suggest that the seized foreign currency, equivalent to over ₹50 lakh in Indian rupees, may have been intended for use in offshore transactions outside the legal financial system. Investigators are examining the passenger’s travel history, digital communication, and banking records to determine the scope of the operation.

Further investigation is in progress.