Flyer from Bangkok held with ganja worth ₹1.95 crore

AIU officials on night duty intercepted Khan on specific intelligence that a woman was carrying some narcotic substance. Based on the information, the official conducted a personal search but no contraband was recovered

Mumbai: A 37-year-old flyer from Bangkok, Thailand was arrested at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday, with possession of 4,273 grams of ganja (marijuana) valued at ₹1.95 crore in the illicit market. According to officials of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the customs department, the arrested accused, identified as Fiza Javed Khan, 37, is a resident of Chembur and is involved with a drug-smuggling syndicate.

Flyer from Bangkok held with ganja worth ₹1.95 crore

AIU officials on night duty intercepted Khan on specific intelligence that a woman was carrying some narcotic substance. Based on the information, the official conducted a personal search but no contraband was recovered.

Khan was carrying baggage- a grey trolley bag and a blue trolley bag and both bags were stuffed with clothes and some personal belongings. During the search, nine vacuum pouches made of plastic-like material which contained greenish-coloured substances were found. When one of the packets was cut open, the officials found a greenish-coloured substance packed in a pouch. A small quantity of the sample was removed and sent for lab testing. The test detected the substance to be ganja.

The officials then collected samples from the remaining eight packets in possession of the accused and tested them using a narcotic drug testing kit. All the samples were found to be ganja totalling 4,273 grams. The officials also found food items and toys in the woman’s bag.

The officials then made a panchnama of the seized drugs served her summons under section 67 of the NDPS Act, 1985 and directed her to appear before the AIU officer to record her statement. While recording her statement, the accused confessed to carrying a trolley bag at the international airport while coming from Bangkok and she was aware that smuggling ganja is illegal.

A case was registered against Khan under sections of the NDPS Act and she was arrested for smuggling ganja in huge quantity valued ₹1.95 crore. She was produced in the court and sent to judicial custody.