India, July 18 -- What appeared to be a routine transit operation at Mumbai airport turned out to be part of an organised international gold-smuggling network involving airport insiders and foreign carriers, investigators say. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 5.1 kg of smuggled gold worth Rs.7.49 crore and arrested six people, including three airport staffers and three Filipino transit passengers, in a late-night operation at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The intelligence-led operation was carried out on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday after DRI officers received specific information about a syndicate allegedly routing gold through Mumbai from Dubai in the United Arab Emira...