Customs seized gold worth Rs 199 crore at Ahmedabad airport in 3 years; average haul per case rises from 477g in 2023 to 825g in 2025

AHMEDABAD: Exactly a week ago, the Customs department at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport apprehended a man returning from Dubai.

The man had two and a half gold bars worth Rs 51.7 lakh in his baggage, which were not declared. A thorough search also revealed that the underwear he wore had a layer of gold paste worth Rs 44.3 lakh. In all, the man illegally carried gold worth Rs 96 lakh into the country.

A recent web series on the Customs department has sharpened the focus on gold smuggling and the challenges the department faces. The figures for 2025 indicate that it recorded a relatively low volume of seizures compared to the past two years.

In 2024, the department seized 126.5kg of gold, compared with 53.6kg in 2025.

In all, over the past three years, gold worth Rs 199 crore has been seized, according to the Customs department data.

Sources indicated that while the absolute volume decreased, the trend showed that, compared with 477 grams of gold seized per case in 2023, 2025 saw the average seizure per case at 825 grams.

The per-kilogram price of seized gold has also increased over the past three years. Sources said that organized gold smuggling is closely related to the fluctuations in the yellow metal's price domestically and internationally.

"At present, gold in the Ahmedabad market is trading at around Rs 1.605 lakh per 10 grams. While prices remained largely stable over the past fortnight, the broader upswing was extremely sharp," said Haresh Acharya, the director of the India Bullion and Jewellers' Association.

He said, "As of Feb 13, gold appreciated by nearly 81% year on year, which is a significant surge by any measure."

The Customs department recorded several major cases during the past year and early 2026. In one instance, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) uncovered a smuggling ring in 2025 in which airline staff were also found to be involved. The syndicate was found to have smuggled gold worth Rs 16 crore in two months.