Nagpur: The Customs Department has seized smuggled goods worth nearly Rs 9.87 crore at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International (DBAI) Airport, Nagpur, between January 1, 2023, and July 15, 2026, according to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
The information was provided by the Assistant Commissioner (AIU), Customs, Nagpur, in response to an RTI application filed by Abhay Kolarkar, a Nagpur-based activist.
According to the official records, Customs detected cases involving the smuggling of gold, saffron, mobile phones and luxury watches, while no seizures of silver were reported during the period.
The RTI reply states that Customs seized:
• Gold: 14.996 kg valued at Rs 9.241 crore
• Saffron: 8 kg valued at Rs 17.5 lakh
• Mobile phones: 45 handsets valued at Rs 42.2 lakh
• Luxury watches: Seven watches valued at Rs 3.1 lakh
• Silver: No seizures reported
The total value of the seized goods during the period stands at approximately Rs 9.87 crore.
The Customs Department also disclosed that 14 persons were arrested in connection with the smuggling cases. According to the RTI reply, seven of those arrested were subsequently released. However, the department did not provide commodity-wise details of the arrests or releases.
The RTI response further stated that no cases were recorded relating to the illegal export of goods from Nagpur Airport during the period covered by the application.
The information was furnished by Assistant Commissioner (AIU) Rupendra Sukhdeo Meshram in an official reply dated August 11, 2026, based on records available with the Customs Department.
The disclosure provides an official overview of Customs enforcement at Nagpur Airport over a three-and-a-half-year period, highlighting that gold accounted for the overwhelming majority of the total value of contraband seized.
