Mumbai: Translator Helps DRI Uncover Details Of Gold-Smuggling Syndicate Allegedly Controlled By Chinese Operatives
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, September 10, 2026: When officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested 46-year-old Chinese national Cheng Wing Hing on Sunday in connection with a gold smuggling case, the biggest challenge before them was to extract information from Hing, since he did not understand English or any other Indian languages.
The DRI officers then got in touch with a Mandarin-language translator and, with his help, the officers managed to unravel information about the syndicate and its operatives from Hing.
Visit esporist.org for more information.
According to the DRI sources, specific intelligence indicated that a consignment imported by a private company at Air Cargo Complex Mumbai, from Hong Kong, dated September 02, was involved in the concealment of contraband gold.
Acting on the said intelligence, DRI officers examined the said consignment, consisting of 2 boxes declared to contain treadmills weighing 41 Kgs.
On opening the motor by removing one of its magnets, an arc-shaped, yellow-coloured metallic object, purported to be gold, was recovered concealed therein. The officers recovered 691.870 grams of gold valued at Rs 1.10 crore.
Hotel Search Reveals Smuggling Tools
The goods were to be delivered at a commercial premises in Andheri (East), Mumbai, and enquiries at the said premises on September 04 led DRI officers to a hotel room in J.B. Nagar in Andheri (East), where Law Kai Chun aka Hugo Law, who had coordinated the consignment of gold, was staying.
During the search at the hotel room, several dismantled treadmills, vibration machines and dismantling tools were recovered and seized by the DRI team.
Next day, a foreign national, later identified as Cheng Wing Hing, arrived at the said premises to collect the belongings of Hugo Law and was intercepted by DRI officers. He was then arrested on September 06.
Translator Helps Extract Details
The next challenge before the DRI team was to extract information from Hing. They then got in touch with a translator who could communicate with Hing tactfully and make him spill the beans. The translator was given a set of questions by the DRI team, based on which he made inquiries with Hing.
Hing then revealed in his statement that he had met Hugo Law in Hong Kong about three months prior to his visit to India and Hugo Law had disclosed to him that gold was being smuggled into India concealed inside imported machines and had offered him monetary consideration to assist in dismantling the machines and extracting the concealed gold.
Hing, who was in DRI custody for two days, further told DRI officers that his visit to India was sponsored by Hugo Law for the specific purpose of the smuggling operation and he remained in operational contact with Hugo Law and other members of the syndicate through WhatsApp, including on matters relating to clearance, delivery and identification of the consignment concerned.
Also Watch:
Mumbai DRI Busts Gold-Smuggling Syndicate, Arrests Chinese National And Importer; ₹1.10 Crore Gold Seized From Treadmill MotorHe further revealed that on the instructions of Hugo Law, he had deposited amounts of Rs 1.25 lakh and Rs 1.24 lakh into bank accounts communicated to him; and that on September 05 he had gone to Law's hotel room to collect a rented vehicle and tools in order to extract the gold concealed in the imported treadmill when he was intercepted.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/