4 passengers carrying hydroponic weed, exotic animals and drones held at Mumbai airport

Mumbai, Oct 6 (PTI) The Customs department seized suspected hydroponic weed worth nearly Rs 4 crore besides drones and smuggled exotic wildlife, both live and dead, in four separate cases at the Mumbai airport, officials said on Monday.

It arrested four passengers, who had landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) from Bangkok and Colombo, in connection with the seizures, an official said.

In the first case, Customs sleuths seized 1.964 kg of suspected hydroponic weed (marijuana), valued at Rs 1.96 crore, and arrested the passenger carrying the contraband, he said.

In the second case, they recovered wildlife (live animals), including iguanas (19), orange bearded dragons (10), raccoon (1 dead), quince monitor lizard (1 alive), squirrel (2 critical, 1 dead) and, Central American squirrel monkey (2 dead), according to the official.

These wildlife species were concealed inside a trolley bag carried by a passenger, who was placed under arrest, he said.

In the third case, the Customs department intercepted a passenger who arrived from Colombo with seven drones valued at Rs 32.19 lakh. These drones are concealed inside a trolley bag carried by the passenger, he said.

In the fourth case, the Customs sleuths recovered 1.93kg of suspected hydroponic weed, valued at Rs 1.93 crore in the illicit market, and arrested the passenger carrying it. The passenger had arrived from Bangkok, the official added. PTI DC RSY