Hydroponic weed, gold and foreign currency worth Rs 21.8 crore seized at Mumbai airport

Mumbai, Sep 24 (PTI) Mumbai Customs has seized hydroponic weed, foreign currency and gold worth more than Rs 21.8 crore at the international airport here in four days, officials said on Saturday.

Based on tip-offs, the customs conducted the seizures at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) between September 21 and 24, they said.

A passenger travelling from Colombo (Sri Lanka) was found carrying 2.624 kg of hydroponic weed (marijuana) worth about Rs 2.62 crore concealed in a trolley bag, and a traveller from Bangkok (Thailand) was arrested with 18.4 kg of the contraband valued at Rs 18.40 crore, an official said.

Customs officials also intercepted three passengers with undeclared foreign currency.

A passenger travelling to Dubai was caught with undeclared foreign currency worth Rs 7.11 lakh, while another on the same flight carried foreign currency worth Rs 49.38 lakh, the official said.

Similarly, a passenger travelling to Jakarta (Indonesia) was caught with foreign currency equivalent to Rs 19.17 lakh, he said.

Officials recovered an unclaimed packet containing 365 gm of gold dust from a washroom near immigration counters. The gold, valued at Rs 38.10 lakh, was seized under the Customs Act, he said. PTI DC ARU