Lucknow: A day after arresting two alleged members of an interstate gold smuggling syndicate, Lucknow Police say their probe has led to a Rajasthan-based network that allegedly handled gold brought into India from Dubai through human couriers.Investigators allege the syndicate used a method in which gold powder was sealed in condom-wrapped capsules and concealed inside couriers. Police said the couriers were allegedly lodged at luxury hotels in Lucknow, where the contraband was extracted before being sent onward for distribution.According to police, four operatives from Rajasthan have been identified as a key link in the chain. They allegedly travelled to Lucknow in rented vehicles, checked into five-star properties and arranged accommodation and logistics for couriers arriving from Dubai. Police said that once couriers reached the hotels, the concealed capsules were allegedly removed with the assistance of doctors, after which the gold powder was repackaged and transported by road to Rajasthan.Investigators said the operation may be significantly larger than first believed. During questioning of the arrested men, police learnt that around 20 passengers arriving from Dubai had allegedly smuggled gold into India using the same concealment technique in recent months.The case began on July 27 when Mahboob Alam, a Ballia resident returning from Dubai, filed a complaint at Sarojininagar police station. He alleged that soon after exiting Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, a group of men robbed him of his trolley bag containing his passport, personal belongings and a capsule filled with gold powder.Police said they arrested Deepak Verma (30) and Ram Pratap Dubey (30) on Tuesday and recovered a 203.92-gram capsule containing gold powder, valued at nearly ₹30 lakh.Police said the arrests exposed an alleged internal rift within the syndicate. Investigators believe the two accused, instead of delivering the consignment to the larger network, attempted to steal it for personal gain, prompting the courier to approach police.Additional DCP (South) Vasanth Rallapalli said teams reviewed footage from around 100 to 130 CCTV cameras and analysed electronic evidence to identify the suspects. Police said raids are continuing to arrest remaining members, trace the Rajasthan module, identify doctors allegedly involved and verify the role of suspected couriers. Investigators allege the network targeted financially vulnerable Indians working in Gulf countries, offering cash, free shopping and return tickets in exchange for smuggling.
