Surat SOG Busts Gold Smuggling Racket via Dubai-Ahmedabad Route

Surat | Gujarat —  In a major crackdown exposing deep loopholes in airport security, Surat Special Operation Group (SOG) has busted a gold smuggling racket being operated through Dubai flights to Ahmedabad and onward train journeys to Surat. A young diamond artisan, Bhavik Praveen Kataria (20), was arrested with 239.5 grams of gold paste worth ₹26.34 lakh, even as the mastermind of the racket, Nirali Rajput of Surat, has been declared wanted and is believed to be operating from Dubai.

According to sources, the gang shifted its smuggling hub from Surat airport to Ahmedabad airport after a couple was caught with nearly 25 kg of gold worth ₹25.57 crore in July. The latest bust raises sharp questions over the effectiveness of Customs, DRI and ED, as smugglers repeatedly managed to sneak gold under the noses of multiple agencies and metal detectors.

Diamond Artisan Nabbed at Surat Railway Station

Police Inspector Ashok Chaudhary of Surat SOG said his team acted on a specific input and arrested Bhavik Kataria on September 16 near Rupa Restaurant at Surat Railway Station. “The gold was cleverly concealed in his luggage, between resin and plastic layers, sprayed with chemicals to evade detection,” Chaudhary revealed.

Kataria, originally from Tatania village in Bhavnagar and residing in Surat’s Singanpore area, had flown from Dubai to Ahmedabad and boarded a train to Surat when he was intercepted.

Mastermind Nirali Rajput Declared Wanted

Investigations have revealed that Nirali Rajput of Poshal, Surat, is the key mastermind running the racket from Dubai. Police said she recruited carriers like Bhavik and orchestrated smuggling of multiple consignments each month. “A lookout notice may soon be issued against her. We have also identified the role of Akram Patel and Amit Soni in this syndicate,” police sources confirmed.

The gang allegedly smuggled gold in 60 different bags over the past six months, transporting consignments through unsuspecting carriers after chemically masking the gold.

Customs, DRI and ED Under Fire

Security loopholes at airports have once again been exposed. In both the July seizure at Surat airport and the September bust linked to Ahmedabad, modern scanners and metal detectors failed to detect the gold paste, leaving the arrests to CISF and SOG action rather than customs vigilance.

A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, slammed the laxity: “When gold worth crores can leave the airport unchecked, it shows the system is sleeping. Smugglers are steps ahead with new chemical tricks.”

The Chemical Trick: Gold Paste

The smugglers used a sophisticated method: converting gold into paste form mixed with chemicals like aqua regia and spraying it between resin and rubber sheets in luggage. This method successfully fooled metal detectors and customs checks, enabling carriers to walk past officials without suspicion.

Earlier July Seizure: Couple Caught with ₹25.57 Crore Gold

In one of Gujarat’s biggest gold smuggling cases, Viral and Dolly, a couple returning from Dubai, were caught at Surat airport on July 20. Authorities seized 24.827 kg of gold cleverly hidden in jeans, undergarments, handbags, and footwear, valued at over ₹25.57 crore in the local market.

That incident triggered fear among smugglers, who soon shifted their operations to Ahmedabad airport, hoping to avoid scrutiny.