International Airport Bust: Hydroponic Weed Seizure Shocks Officials

Customs officials at Mumbai's international airport seized 5.56 kg of hydroponic weed worth Rs 5.56 crore hidden in food packets. The passenger, intercepted based on intelligence, was subsequently charged under the NDPS Act for attempting to smuggle potent cannabis using a soilless hydroponic method.

In a significant bust, customs officers at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport intercepted a passenger carrying 5.56 kg of hydroponic weed, estimated to be worth Rs 5.56 crore. The illicit substance was cleverly hidden inside food packets within the traveler's baggage.

This operation unfolded early Tuesday morning, following a tip-off that prompted customs personnel to lay a strategic trap to capture the smuggler. Upon conducting a thorough search of the passenger's belongings, officials uncovered the concealed cannabis, grown via a hydroponic method that uses water rather than soil.

The suspect has since been detained and charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The discovery of such a potent form of cannabis, which some equate to cocaine, highlights ongoing concerns over sophisticated drug trafficking methods.

(With inputs from agencies.)