Mumbai Customs officials at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) carried out a series of successful operations on Tuesday, intercepting passengers attempting to smuggle narcotics and gold worth more than ₹18 crore into the country.
According to officials from Mumbai Customs Zone III, three separate cases were registered on November 5 based on profiling and intelligence inputs.
In the first case, Customs officers intercepted a passenger who had arrived from Bangkok by flight number SL218. Upon examining the traveller’s baggage, officers recovered 5.922 kg of suspected hydroponic weed (marijuana), estimated to be worth ₹5.92 crore in the illicit market. The contraband was cleverly concealed inside a trolley bag. The passenger has been arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
In the second operation, officers intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok by flight number AI2338. A detailed inspection of their baggage led to the seizure of 12.017 kg of hydroponic weed, valued at approximately ₹12.02 crore. The drugs were hidden inside chocolate and chips packets. Both passengers were taken into custody under the NDPS Act.
In a separate case, Mumbai Customs officials intercepted another passenger arriving from Dubai by flight number AI2202. During a personal search, officers recovered eight pieces of 24 KT crude gold bangles weighing 225 grams, valued at ₹25.64 lakh. The gold was found concealed on the passenger’s body.
All the accused have been arrested and further investigation is underway to trace the wider networks involved in the smuggling attempts.