The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi, has seized 6.365 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed (ganja/marijuana) from a passenger arriving from Bangkok, in yet another major crackdown on cross-border narcotics smuggling.
According to Customs officials, the operation was carried out on 15 July 2026 after the passenger, who arrived on Thai Airways Flight TG-331 from Bangkok, was identified through Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) profiling. Based on the risk assessment, Customs officers intercepted the passenger at the Green Channel for detailed examination.
During the screening process, the passenger’s baggage was subjected to X-ray examination, which revealed suspicious images indicating the possible concealment of prohibited substances. A subsequent physical examination of the baggage led to the recovery of six vacuum-sealed packets containing a green-coloured substance suspected to be hydroponic weed (ganja/marijuana).
The total weight of the recovered substance, including the packing material, was found to be 6,365 grams.
Following the recovery, Customs officers registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The passenger was arrested under Section 43(b) of the Act, while the suspected narcotic substance, along with the concealment and packaging materials, was seized under Section 43(a) of the NDPS Act.
Hydroponic weed, a high-potency variety of cannabis cultivated using hydroponic techniques rather than soil, is frequently targeted in international narcotics trafficking due to its higher market value and increased concentration of psychoactive compounds.
Customs officials stated that the seized substance is suspected to be hydroponic weed and will be subjected to further forensic examination to confirm its exact nature. The identity of the passenger has not been disclosed at this stage.
Authorities have launched a detailed investigation to ascertain the source of the consignment, the intended recipients in India, and whether the smuggling attempt is linked to a larger international drug trafficking network.
The Customs Department said that further investigation into the case is in progress.
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