Thu Mar 13 08:29:59 UTC 2025: ## Kannada Actress Arrested for Gold Smuggling, Claimed YouTube Helped Conceal 14kg Haul
**Bengaluru, India** – Kannada film actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru airport on March 3rd for smuggling 14 kilograms of gold, concealed on her person, according to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Rao, the stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer, allegedly used YouTube tutorials to learn how to hide the gold, which she obtained from a meeting at Dubai International Airport.
Court documents detailing the DRI’s objections to Rao’s bail application reveal a meticulously planned operation. Rao claims this was her first smuggling attempt, stating she received instructions via an internet call to collect two packages containing gold from a man at Dubai’s Terminal 3. She described the individual as six feet tall, with a wheatish complexion and an American accent. She purchased adhesive tape near the airport, anticipating the lack of scissors inside, and used it to secure the gold bars around her body and in her shoes.
The DRI alleges a larger smuggling syndicate is involved, citing Rao’s frequent travel—27 trips to Dubai in the last six months, including four within a 15-day period—as evidence. Further investigation implicates a protocol officer, Basappa Billur, who allegedly facilitated Rao’s passage through airport security. Billur reportedly stated that Ramachandra Rao, Rao’s stepfather, had instructed him to provide protocol assistance to family members.
Rao’s arrest occurred just steps from the airport exit. The DRI’s investigation is ongoing, and the case highlights potential vulnerabilities in airport security procedures.
First Piper 