Hydroponic marijuana worth Rs 34.9 crore seized at Delhi airport, two arrested
Customs officials intercepted passengers arriving from Bangkok after suspicious baggage scans revealed nearly 35 kg of suspected hydroponic cannabis.
Delhi Customs officials have seized suspected hydroponic marijuana valued at around Rs 34.9 crore from two passengers arriving from Bangkok at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
The passengers, who landed on Thursday aboard Thai Airways flight TG-323, were intercepted by Customs officers after being flagged through the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), officials said.
According to Customs authorities, the duo had crossed the Green Channel when they were stopped for further checks based on profiling inputs. Their luggage was subsequently scanned, with X-ray images revealing suspicious contents.
A detailed search of the baggage led to the recovery of 31 vacuum-sealed packets containing a substance believed to be hydroponic cannabis, also known as marijuana or ganja.
Officials said the total gross weight of the seized substance, including packaging, was 34,935 grams.
In a statement, Delhi Customs said the estimated value of the narcotics in the illicit market was approximately Rs 34.935 crore.
The agency added that the seizure constitutes a violation of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The two passengers have been arrested under relevant provisions of the law.
Customs officials said investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the consignment, its intended recipients, and whether the case is linked to a wider drug trafficking network.
With IANS inputs