Kenyan Woman Arrested in India Smuggling Sh26.4 Million Gold

Fresh questions have been raised about the effectiveness of security measures at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) following the apprehension of a Kenyan woman in India for attempting to smuggle gold.

Sadia Mohammed Ali, pressured by financial strains, was nabbed at Mumbai International Airport carrying 3.6 kilograms of gold valued at approximately Sh 26.4 million. Sadia(38) reportedly claims she was drawn into the gold smuggling racket by her friend Safia, motivated by a desire to settle her loans. She is among eight individuals accused of smuggling approximately 8kg of gold and five iPhones from foreign countries.

This has raised concerns about how she bypassed security checks at JKIA. Indian authorities discovered a substantial quantity of gold in her luggage, including bars, melted pieces, and jewellery, prompting an investigation into potential accomplices and wider smuggling networks. Following the interrogation, the Kenyan woman confessed to her involvement in the gold smuggling and is presently being held at a local police station while further investigations proceed.

This incident follows a similar event in October 2023, where four Kenyan women were arrested in India with nearly Sh49.9 million allegedly acquired through illegal cross-border activities. Authorities revealed that these women were part of a criminal organization involved in smuggling gold from various countries, melting it in India, and then selling it as bars.

Additionally, another Kenyan woman was apprehended at Mumbai International Airport in a separate incident attempting to smuggle gold inside her undergarments. She was detained for further inquiries after authorities discovered Police recovered 17 pieces of 22-carat melted gold bars in her undergarment. This, along with the recent large-scale smuggling attempts, highlights potential vulnerabilities in passenger screening procedures at JKIA.