In a major crackdown, officials of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) arrested four passengers, including a foreign national, at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for allegedly smuggling hydroponic ganja worth over ₹64 crore. A total of 64.394 kilograms of the contraband was seized during the operation. The consignment had reportedly been brought in from Bangkok.
All four accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Following their arrest, a court remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody.
Officials said there has been a significant rise in cases of hydroponic ganja smuggling from Bangkok over the past few months. In response, customs authorities had launched a special surveillance operation at the international airport to crack down on such activities.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs about a large consignment being smuggled into Mumbai, officials intensified checks on passengers arriving from Bangkok. During the operation, the four suspects—three Indian nationals and one foreign citizen—were intercepted and taken in for questioning.
A thorough search of their luggage led to the recovery of 64.394 kg of hydroponic ganja, with an estimated international market value of ₹64.39 crore. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the consignment had been handed over to them by an individual in Bangkok, with instructions to deliver it to associates in Mumbai.
In return, they were promised flight tickets and a fixed commission for transporting the drugs. However, the accused were apprehended by officials before they could exit the airport premises.
Authorities further stated that several passengers arriving from Bangkok have been arrested in recent months in connection with similar smuggling cases, leading to seizures worth thousands of crores. With the ongoing crackdown, customs officials remain on high alert, subjecting all suspicious passengers arriving from Bangkok to detailed scrutiny and checks.