Mastermind of global gold smuggling syndicate held in Mumbai

Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested the alleged mastermind, financer, and principal conspirator of an international gold smuggling syndicate operating across multiple countries after his name emerged in the investigation of the seizure of smuggled gold worth Rs 4 crores.The DRI Mumbai unit arrested Faiz Jabbar Ghawte, alias Dada, under Section 104 read with Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962, following an extensive investigation into a major gold smuggling racket. Officials said that Ghawte failed to cooperate and even missed one or two dates at the DRI office despite the Bombay High Court directing him to appear.
The case dates back to 21 Feb, when officers intercepted four Indian nationals—Alamgir Badshah, Akbar Ali Anwar Ali Khan, Rehana Alamgir Khan, and Firdos Akbar Ali Khan—after their arrival at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) from Jeddah by Air India flight AI-938. The passengers were intercepted after crossing the green channel, while Fahad Yarker and Adil Aziz Sikander were found waiting in the arrival hall to receive them.During personal searches, officers recovered 3,900 grams of 24-carat foreign-origin gold worth Rs 3.47 crore, which was not declared to Customs authorities. All six accused were arrested the same day for offences punishable under various provisions of Section 135 of the Customs Act. During the course of investigations, it transpired that the gold was smuggled on behalf of master Faiz Dada.The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of additional syndicate members, including Shakeel Pawaskar and Shehbaz Rizwani on 22 July, followed by Muzaffar Mulla and Danish Shaikh on 29 July.Statements recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act from multiple accused consistently identified Faiz Ghawte, also known as "Dada," as the mastermind who allegedly operated the syndicate from abroad, financed gold consignments, and coordinated operations in India through his brother-in-law Shehbaz Rizwani. During technical investigations, it was revealed that separate WhatsApp groups were created for each gold consignment, with real-time updates shared among syndicate members to keep Ghawte informed of every movement, said an official.Although Ghawte denied the allegations during multiple statements recorded between Dec 8 and 18, 2025, the DRI stated that he failed to cooperate, withheld critical information, furnished false details regarding his antecedents, and did not disclose the buyers or financial trail of the smuggled gold.The DRI, while seeking Ghawte's custody, told the court that the investigation is at a crucial stage, involving an international network, and that Ghawte's custody is necessary to uncover the full scale of the syndicate, identify overseas links, and trace the proceeds of crime. The agency has opposed any relief, citing the risk of evidence tampering, witness influence, and absconding. The court granted him judicial custody.

Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here