Kenyan woman arrested for smuggling gold worth Ksh 2.8 million at Mumbai airport

An increasing trend of Kenyan nationals being apprehended for smuggling offences abroad has intensified following the recent arrest of a Kenyan woman at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. 

The woman stands accused of attempting to smuggle gold valued at approximately 2.8 million Kenyan shillings into India. Acting on a tip, Indian customs officials intercepted the suspect upon her arrival from Nairobi. A thorough search of her luggage revealed 1,485 grams of gold in powdered form, concealed to evade detection. The seized gold has an estimated value of 1.6 crore rupees, according to Indian authorities. 

Customs investigators note that gold dust is increasingly favoured by smugglers due to its ability to pass through airport screening processes undetected. Concealment methods include mixing the gold dust with wax, hiding it within luggage linings, and, in extreme cases, ingesting capsules.
This incident coincides with the detention of two other suspects—a mother and her son—at another Indian airport on the same day. 

They face charges of smuggling gold worth 2.7 crore rupees, equivalent to 3.6 million Kenyan shillings. The Kenyan woman and the pair have been charged under India’s Customs Act and are now in judicial custody. The Mumbai arrest is the latest in a series of similar incidents involving Kenyan nationals. Earlier this month, another Kenyan woman was arrested at the same airport for attempting to smuggle 1.7 kilograms of cocaine. 

The estimated value of the narcotics ranged from 225 to 300 million Kenyan shillings. Beyond narcotics and gold, Kenyan nationals have also been implicated in the smuggling of other valuable commodities. In February, customs officials detained 14 Kenyans—part of a group of 18—for attempting to export processed gold and diamonds during routine checks at an overseas airport.