India, Jan. 26 -- The Mumbai unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday foiled an attempt to smuggle foreign-origin gold worth an estimated Rs.2.89 crore, concealed inside a meat-grinding machine that arrived in the city through an international courier consignment from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The seized gold weighed 1.81 kg, and the DRI described the concealment method as "novel". Acting on specific intelligence, officers intercepted a courier shipment at the International Courier Terminal (ICT), Mumbai, and found the suspect parcel containing the meat grinder.

During inspection, the machine was dismantled for detailed examination. Officers broke open the internal gear mechanism and recovered 32 cut pieces of gold of...