Mumbai Customs Foil Massive Smuggling Operations at CSMI Airport

Mumbai airport customs officials seized marijuana valued at Rs 11 crore and intercepted gold smuggling attempts worth Rs 1.48 crore. Intelligence inputs led to the detection of 11.322 kg of hydroponic marijuana and 2.073 kg of 24-karat gold, highlighting the team's vigilance and dedication to airport security.

In a significant operation at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, customs officials confiscated marijuana worth over Rs 11 crore from a passenger arriving from Bangkok during the night of December 19-20. The passenger was found carrying 11.322 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana, estimated to be worth approximately Rs 11.32 crores.

The seizure was a result of strategic profiling and intelligence inputs that led customs officers to discover the illegal substance. It was cleverly hidden in vacuum-sealed plastic pouches within the passenger's trolley bag. This high-grade variety of cannabis is known for its potent effects and high market value.

Earlier, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised the customs officials at the Mumbai airport for their vigilance in a social media post, following their successful interception of over 2 kg of smuggled gold valued at Rs 1.48 crore. Mumbai customs unveiled two gold smuggling incidents occurring on December 18-19, where 2.073 kg of 24-karat gold was seized. One case involved gold dust hidden in wax inside a passenger's body cavity, while another had implicates an airport staff member carrying gold handed by a transit passenger. The staff intended to smuggle the gold out, but both parties were promptly arrested.

Mumbai's airport customs team continues to showcase its commitment to legal operations by promptly addressing and mitigating smuggling activities at one of India's busiest air hubs.

(With inputs from agencies.)