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Hydroponic cannabis worth ₹13 crore seized at Lucknow airport
According to sources, the drugs were detected during routine checks after Air India Express flight IX-105 landed ahead of schedule at 5:29 pm, nearly an hour earlier than its scheduled arrival at 6:25 pm. The suspicious behaviour of a passenger led to a detailed baggage search, which revealed the concealed cannabis.
In a major drug bust, customs officials at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) on Wednesday evening seized over 13 kg of high-grade hydroponic cannabis, commonly known as “hydro weed”, from two passengers arriving from Bangkok. The contraband is valued at around ₹13 crore in the international market, officials said.
According to sources, the drugs were detected during routine checks after Air India Express flight IX-105 landed ahead of schedule at 5:29 pm, nearly an hour earlier than its scheduled arrival at 6:25 pm. The suspicious behaviour of a passenger led to a detailed baggage search, which revealed the concealed cannabis.
Customs officials said one suspect, Mohammad Imran, a resident of Bijnor, had returned just three days after reaching Bangkok, arousing suspicion. His baggage was found to contain 7.7 kg of hydroponic cannabis. During questioning, he allegedly admitted the bags were handed to him in Bangkok with instructions to deliver them to a man named Sameer in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, another passenger, identified as Manikant, failed to collect his luggage from the conveyor belt. On inspection, officials found 6.9 kg of hydroponic cannabis in the unclaimed bags. A manhunt has been launched to trace him, officials said.
“We have stepped up surveillance and are closely tracking suspicious movements,” said deputy commissioner of customs Nandeshwar Singh. “The interrogation of the accused will help us uncover the wider network, which we suspect has international links.”
Officials believe the consignment is linked to a larger smuggling racket involving international suppliers and local handlers. The case has been handed over to a central agency for further investigation, and more arrests have not been ruled out.
