Customs find 33 kg of hydroponic weed at CSMIA

Mumbai airport AIU seized hydroponic weed worth ₹33 crore, arresting seven passengers in six cases, including those from Malaysia and Bangkok.

Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Custom department arrested seven passengers in six separate cases at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and allegedly seized hydroponic weed worth ₹33 crore from them.

Customs find 33 kg of hydroponic weed at CSMIA

In the first case, on Wednesday, the AIU officials intercepted a passenger arriving from Malaysia and recovered 5.024 kg of a substance suspected to be hydroponic weed (marijuana), which has an illicit market value of approximately ₹5.024 crores. The accused had concealed the contraband inside vacuum sealed black and transparent plastic packets in a trolley bag. He was taken into custody and arrested under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) act.

Another team of the AIU intercepted a passenger arriving from Bangkok, and when the officials searched him, they recovered 2.425 kg of suspected hydroponic weed (marijuana) worth ₹2.425 crores. He too was hiding the narcotic substances in black and transparent plastic packets in a trolley bag. The AIU, while searching another passenger from Bangkok found 2.481kg of suspected hydroponic weed (marijuana) worth ₹2.481 crore concealed in his luggage.

While two other smugglers were caught and questioned, they confessed that a third person was coming to receive the contraband. The police then laid a trap for their accomplice and caught him when he arrived at the autorikshaw parking outside the airport.

Another two passengers coming from Bangkok were also intercepted, and officials seized 5.582 kg and 6 kg of hydroponic weed worth ₹11.5 crore from them.

All the accused were taken into custody and booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.