Photo: Shutterstock Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi have seized 396 grams of high-purity gold after uncovering two separate smuggling attempts involving passengers arriving from Riyadh.
According to Delhi Customs, the operation was carried out during a preventive shift on May 17, 2026, based on spot profiling by airport officers. Two passengers arriving on a Flynas flight were identified for additional inspection.
Both individuals were initially directed through the Green Channel but were later diverted for X-ray screening of their baggage after officers noticed irregularities during profiling.
During the scan, suspicious images were detected inside chocolate packets carried by the passengers. The items were immediately detained on suspicion that gold in powdered form had been concealed within the packaging.
A detailed examination followed, including furnace recovery procedures, which confirmed the presence of gold hidden inside the chocolates. Officials recovered a total of 396 grams of gold with 999.9 purity, split into two separate seizures of 200 grams and 196 grams.
The gold was formally seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and cases have been registered against both passengers.
Authorities said the matter is now under further investigation to determine the source of the smuggled gold.
In April, a passenger on her way to a Caribbean island was stopped by the airport after they discovered she was carrying a gun during automatic baggage screening. The passenger was taken into custody.