The Customs Department at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja International Airport (CSMIA) on Sunday apprehended a couple arriving from Colombo for allegedly carrying psychoactive drugs, specifically marijuana, with an estimated street value of Rs 5.45 crore.
The arrested, Mohammad Saud Siddique (29) and Sana Siddique (27), residents of Navi Mumbai, claimed in court that they had been lured into the incident by an unknown individual who offered them a free trip to Colombo. According to the couple, while returning to Mumbai, they received instructions from the same person to bring a parcel with them, unaware that it contained contraband.
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs had received specific information about the couple potentially carrying contraband in their luggage. On interception at the airport, officials discovered three vacuum-sealed packets in their trolley bags. Field testing confirmed the contents were hydroponic marijuana weighing 5 kilograms.
A Customs official stated, “The estimated market value of the seized narcotics is Rs 5.45 crore.”
Representing the couple, lawyer Sunil Tiwari told the court, “My clients were allegedly lured through social media by a stranger who offered them a free trip to Colombo. They obtained visas and traveled as instructed. On their return, they were asked to carry a parcel containing chocolates, unaware that it concealed illegal substances.”
The Customs Department has initiated further investigation to trace the source of the contraband and the network involved in the attempt to smuggle drugs into the country.
