In a major anti-narcotics operation, officers of the Airport Commissionerate under Mumbai Customs Zone–III on March 17, 2026, seized a massive consignment of suspected hydroponic weed at Mumbai airport, uncovering an illicit drug haul valued at approximately ₹64.394 crore in the black market.
Acting on spot intelligence and APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) profiling, customs officials intercepted four passengers— including one foreign national—who had arrived from Bangkok. Upon inspection, authorities recovered a total of 64.394 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed, a high-grade variant of cannabis cultivated using advanced techniques.
The passengers were immediately taken into custody and subsequently arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Officials indicated that the seizure is part of a broader crackdown on international drug trafficking networks using air routes to smuggle contraband into India.
Sources within the department revealed that hydroponic weed, known for its higher potency and premium pricing, has increasingly become a preferred substance in organized drug trafficking due to its high profit margins. The method of concealment and coordination among the passengers suggests possible links to a larger transnational syndicate.
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