Pune: A major hawala racket involving $400,100 (approximately ₹3.5 crore) in US currency has been uncovered at Pune Airport, with three unsuspecting students caught carrying the illicit funds concealed between the pages of books.
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Pune Customs Department intercepted the students upon their return from Dubai on February 17, leading to a high-profile investigation into an organized foreign exchange smuggling operation.
Students Used as Unwitting Couriers
Authorities revealed that the three students had booked a travel package for their Dubai trip through Pune-based travel agent Khushbu Agarwal. Just before their departure from Pune, Agarwal handed them two trolley bags, claiming they contained “urgent office documents” needed at her Dubai office.
“The students had no idea that foreign currency was hidden in their bags,” AIU sources said. Upon their arrival back in India, customs officials searched their luggage and uncovered stacks of US dollars concealed inside books.
International Coordination Unmasks Hawala Network
The customs department had received intelligence about a large quantity of foreign currency being smuggled out of India through passengers. Acting on this tip, they alerted their Dubai counterparts, who monitored the students’ movements before their return flight to Pune.
Following the seizure, Khushbu Agarwal was detained, and her statement was recorded under the Customs Act. Further investigation led officials to a forex firm in Mumbai’s Fort area, where foreign currency worth ₹45 lakh was seized during a raid. Mohammed Aamir, who allegedly supplied the illicit US currency, was also arrested.
Widening Crackdown Across Cities
Simultaneous searches were conducted at 10 locations across Pune, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, indicating a larger hawala network at play. Officials are now probing links between travel agents, forex firms, and international operatives involved in illegal money transfers.
The case highlights the growing sophistication of hawala transactions using unsuspecting passengers and underscores enhanced vigilance by customs and intelligence agencies in combating foreign exchange violations.
