Mumbai Airport Sees Major Drug Bust: Woman Arrested for Smuggling Hydroponic Weed

Significant Drug Trafficking Operation at Mumbai Airport

Mumbai, June 12: In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, authorities at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport apprehended a 28-year-old woman for allegedly trying to smuggle over 11 kg of hydroponic cannabis into India. The estimated value of the seized drugs is around Rs 11.82 crore in the international market.

Customs officials reported that the woman, who arrived from Bangkok, raised suspicions during standard passenger profiling and surveillance. A thorough search of her luggage uncovered 12 vacuum-sealed packets hidden within her trolley bag.

The contents of these packets were identified as hydroponic weed, a premium variant of cannabis. In total, 11.824 kg of the narcotic was confiscated during this operation. The suspect, who is employed as a relationship manager at a private firm, was arrested following the discovery.

A case has been filed against her under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and she has been presented before a court, which has placed her in judicial custody.

This seizure is part of a broader initiative by Customs to combat international drug trafficking at Indian airports.

Previously, on June 8, customs officials at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport thwarted another smuggling attempt, seizing 15.38 kg of suspected hydroponic weed hidden inside geysers. This operation was based on specific intelligence and passenger profiling, leading to the interception of two individuals arriving from Kuala Lumpur.

In a separate incident on May 23, customs officials at IGI Airport detained two Thai nationals arriving from Bangkok after they crossed the Customs Green Channel. Following profiling and suspicious travel patterns, a detailed search of their luggage revealed six vacuum-sealed packets of hydroponic weed, totaling approximately 29 kg from one passenger and around 19 kg from the other.