Customs seize hydroponic ganja worth Rs 5 crore at Chennai airport
An Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok was arrested on Monday with 4.97kg of suspected cannabis concealed in food packets.
Customs officials at Chennai airport intercepted an Indian passenger on Monday who was allegedly attempting to smuggle 4.97kg of hydroponic ganja into the country. According to The Times of India, the contraband is valued at approximately Rs 5 crore in the illicit market.
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Chennai customs identified the passenger through spot profiling. During an inspection of his checked-in trolley suitcase, officials discovered 10 transparent packets containing green flowering and fruiting tops hidden inside food packets.
A field drug testing kit was used to confirm that the substance was cannabis. The material was seized under Section 43 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
This incident marks the third seizure of hydroponic ganja at the airport within a single week. On October 30, officials recovered 4.877kg of the substance from an Indian woman arriving from Kuala Lumpur, while an Indian passenger was arrested with 1.478kg of ganja from Bangkok on October 29.
Officials stated that smuggling syndicates often target young individuals by paying for their travel and accommodation to transport contraband into India. They warned that such involvement can lead to severe legal consequences and punishment.
The passenger was arrested and has been remanded to judicial custody as further investigation continues.