Twenty-six Kenyan woman were last week arrested in India after being found in possession of gold worth over Sh225 million.
According to Indian authorities, the gold—weighing 29 kilograms—was seized at Mumbai Airport.
A kilo of gold can fetch up to Sh8 million depending on the country.
The arrests highlight Kenya’s growing role as a regional transit hub for illicit gold flows to markets such as India and the United Arab Emirates.
Most of the smuggled gold is believed to originate from conflict-prone countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, entering Kenya through porous borders.
Authorities have raised concerns over the rise in illegal gold trade networks, which exploit weak border controls and regional instability.
Indian media said the victims- mostly elderly women – for allegedly smuggling 29.4 kilograms of gold from Nairobi, marking one of the largest seizures in recent times.
The case comes amid a sharp decline in gold smuggling linked to disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict.
Acting on specific intelligence and digital profiling, local officials waited for the group on April 8.
Given heavy passenger traffic, officers chose to monitor the suspects near the arrival area of Kenya Airways and planned to intercept them after they crossed the green channel.
The passengers approached the green channel but noticing of ficials, moved away and gathered near baggage belts.
Upon questioning, 25 passengers identified themselves, while the 26th was found to have been detained by immigration authorities for attempting to use a fake passport.
All 25 denied carrying contraband. However, a search of two passengers led to the recovery of gold bars concealed in their shoes, prompting a broader search.
With the help of a translator, they were produced in court, which remanded them in judicial custody.
Kenya has also seen an increase in fake gold scams, where fraudsters forge documents such as mining licences and customs paperwork to deceive buyers, leading to significant financial losses.
The latest arrests underscore growing scrutiny on cross-border mineral trade as governments step up efforts to curb smuggling and protect investors.
In April 2024, nine Kenyan women were arrested at the Mumbai Airport for attempting to smuggle Sh156.4 million worth of gold.
According to reports, at least 640 kilograms of gold worth Sh6 billion had been seized at the airport.
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