MEERUT, Aug. 11 -- A subtle gesture at Dubai International Airport - a scratch on the ear, a raised hand - set in motion a demeanour of deceit. This discreet signal, unnoticed by most, was the linchpin of a transnational gold smuggling syndicate that turned poor young men in Tanda, a small town in UP's Rampur district, into human mules, their bodies stuffed with gold capsules to feed India's insatiable black market.

At 6:46pm on May 23, 2025, the Moradabad police arrested four men, exposing a network that exploited over 150 youths from Tanda. HT recently visited Rampur-Moradabad to delve into the gold smuggling network.

Death that unveiled horror

The syndicate's unravelling began with a tragedy on February 12, 2025. Mohammad Alam, 32, ...