Mumbai: In a crackdown on drug smuggling, Customs officials arrested four youths atChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airportfor attempting to smuggle 40 kg ofhydroponic cannabisfrom Bangkok. The accused were intercepted on their arrival from Bangkok on Friday.
The arrested individuals were identified as Manavkumar Pipaliya, Ravi Pipaliya, Jigar Panchani, and Brijesh Mendpara, all residents of Surat.
Officials found multiple trolley bags stuffed with clothes and personal belongings, inside which 42 transparent plastic packets containing hydroponic cannabis were hidden. All the accused flew to Bangkok on Jan 27 and returned on Jan 30 with the contraband, which is freely available in Bangkok.
Upon suspicion, customs officers conducted a thorough baggage check in the presence of independent witnesses. A field testing kit confirmed the substance as hydroponic cannabis, a high-potency variant of marijuana. The total seizure weighed over 40 kg and is estimated to be worth Rs 40 crore in the illegal drug market.
The accused were aware of the legal consequences but were allegedly lured by the prospect of quick money. Preliminary investigations indicate that they were acting as drug couriers for an international syndicate operating between Bangkok and India.
A case was registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The four accused were remanded to custody. —S Ahmed Ali