In a narcotics interception at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru Customs officials seized 1.7 kilograms of hashish (charas) from a passenger arriving from Bangkok. The contraband, valued at approximately ₹4.25 lakh, was ingeniously concealed inside candy and sweet packets in an attempt to evade detection.
According to officials, the passenger arrived on an international flight from Bangkok and was intercepted based on specific intelligence inputs and profiling. Upon examination of the baggage, officers discovered that what appeared to be ordinary confectionery packets contained suspicious spherical and foil-wrapped substances. Detailed inspection and testing confirmed the material to be hashish.
Concealment Modus Operandi
The seized narcotic substance was cleverly hidden within assorted candy packets, including fruit-flavored sweets and gummy packs. The drugs were shaped into rounded balls and wrapped in foil to resemble confectionery items, making detection difficult during routine baggage checks. However, vigilant screening and examination by Customs officers led to the discovery.
Images released by Bengaluru Customs show multiple packets of assorted sweets with concealed dark resinous balls and foil-wrapped pieces hidden among regular candy items.
Arrest Under NDPS Act
Following the seizure, the passenger was arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The NDPS Act prescribes stringent punishment for possession, trafficking, and smuggling of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The quantity seized—1.7 kilograms of hashish—falls within the ambit of commercial quantity under the NDPS Act, which may attract rigorous imprisonment and substantial fines upon conviction.
Continued Vigilance at International Gateways
The seizure underscores ongoing efforts by Customs authorities to curb the smuggling of narcotic substances through international airports. Concealment in food items and daily-use products has emerged as a recurring modus operandi in cross-border drug trafficking attempts.
Authorities have reiterated that enhanced profiling, technological screening mechanisms, and coordinated intelligence inputs remain critical in detecting such attempts.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the narcotics and whether the accused was part of a larger trafficking network.
The operation highlights Customs’ continued enforcement under the NDPS framework to combat drug trafficking through India’s international airports.
