Man held at IGI airport with narcotics worth ₹6.9 crore

The passenger -- an Indian national -- travelled from Tashkent to Delhi via Istanbul and was intercepted at the green channel during baggage screening, based on spot profiling.

A man has been arrested at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport for trying to smuggle in marijuana, weighing 6,939 grams, from Istanbul by hiding it in his trolley bag.

(Representative image) Customs department officials said the seized narcotics were valued at around ₹6.9 crore in the international market. (HT Archive)

Customs department officials said the seized narcotics were valued at around ₹6.9 crore in the international market.

The passenger -- an Indian national -- travelled from Tashkent to Delhi via Istanbul and was intercepted at the green channel during baggage screening, based on spot profiling.

“Five black polythene packets with green-coloured substance were found. A diagnostic test confirmed it as marijuana,” said a customs officer.

The man was arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and the seized contraband was confiscated. “Further investigation is underway,” the officer added.

This is the third such seizure at IGI airport in recent weeks. On September 28, two Indian passengers arriving from Bangkok were caught with 6.5-kg of marijuana worth about ₹6.5 crore. In another such case, a duo from Bangkok was booked on September 12 for carrying 5.6-kg of marijuana worth ₹5.6 crore.