Bengaluru: A massive diamond smuggling operation worth Rs 7.77 crore was busted by DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) officers at Kempegowda International Airport. Two men, aged 36 and 37 from Chikkaballapur, were busted trying to smuggle diamonds weighing 8053 carats to Dubai.
The attempt came to light on Wednesday morning when the duo was about to board an IndiGo flight to Dubai. The diamonds, hidden inside chocolate packets, were stashed in their checked-in suitcases. Acting on specific information about the smuggling, the DRI Bengaluru team intercepted the suspects at the departure bay.
Upon interrogation, it was revealed that the diamonds were valued at Rs 7.77 crore. The luggage was recalled and searched, uncovering the diamonds hidden in chocolate packets. Additionally, US Dollars and UAE Dirhams worth Rs 4.62 lakh were seized from the smugglers.
The arrested men admitted to sourcing the diamonds, mainly lab-grown pieces, from dealers in Mumbai. They had flown to Bengaluru with the intention of smuggling the precious stones and foreign currency to Dubai. Following their confession, two more accomplices in Hyderabad were apprehended by the DRI, with diamonds worth Rs 6.03 crore and Rs 9.83 lakh in foreign currency, primarily US Dollars, to be smuggled to Dubai.
The DRI is currently conducting a further investigation into this significant diamond smuggling operation that unfolded simultaneously in Bengaluru and Hyderabad on January 10, 2024.
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