Thu Feb 27 01:14:44 UTC 2025: ## Pune Customs Busts Hawala Racket, Seizes $400,100
**Pune, February 27, 2025** – The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Pune Customs Department has thwarted a major hawala racket, seizing US$400,100 (approximately ₹3.47 crore) and arresting two individuals.
The operation followed intelligence reports of a large sum of foreign currency being smuggled out of India. On February 17th, AIU officers at Pune Airport intercepted three students arriving from Dubai on a SpiceJet flight. Hidden within two trolley bags ostensibly belonging to Pune-based travel agent Khushbu Agarwal (41), the officers discovered the concealed currency.
Investigations revealed Agarwal had entrusted the bags to the students, claiming they contained urgent office documents for her Dubai office. Further questioning led to the arrest of Mumbai-based Mohd Aamir, who allegedly supplied the foreign currency to Agarwal. A search of Aamir’s forex firm in Mumbai uncovered additional foreign currencies from various countries.
Simultaneous searches were conducted at ten locations across Pune, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai. Both Agarwal and Aamir have been remanded to judicial custody. The Customs Department continues its investigation.
First Piper 