Customs dept seizes hydroponic weed worth Rs 43 cr at Mumbai airport; arrests five passengers

Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) The Customs department has seized nearly 43 kilograms of hydroponic weed worth around Rs 43 crore at the Mumbai international airport, and arrested five passengers who arrived from Bangkok separately, officials said on Friday.

Based on specific inputs, officials of the Customs department's Airport Commissionerate intercepted these passengers at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday following their arrival in different flights, they said.

The customs officials recovered 33.888 kilograms of the contraband worth Rs 33.888 crore from three passengers, an official said.

All of them were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said.

Based on specific intelligence, officers also intercepted two more passengers travelling on a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok and recovered 9.010 kilograms of hydroponic weed valued at Rs 9.010 crore. They were also held under the NDPS Act.

Further investigation was underway, he said.

Hydroponic weed refers to cannabis plants grown using a soil-free method that utilises nutrient-rich water solutions. PTI DC NP