Mumbai Airport Customs Bust Drug Syndicate, Seize 11.74 Kg Hydroponic Weed Worth ₹4.12 Crore

Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs officials have busted a syndicate allegedly involved in smuggling drugs and have arrested a 35-year-old man who acted as a carrier. The drugs, sourced from Kuala Lumpur, were concealed in 12 packets kept in his baggage by the passenger, officials said.

According to Customs sources, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted a passenger, Mohammed Suhel, a resident of Karwar, Karnataka, based on specific intelligence that he might be carrying some contraband items, who arrived at CSMI Airport, Mumbai, on Saturday from Kuala Lumpur.

Thereafter, a search of the baggage carried by the passenger was conducted by Customs officers. The officers opened the trolley bag carried by the passenger for detailed examination and the said trolley bag was found stuffed with 12 plastic packets. On cutting the plastic packets, it was found to be stuffed with fruiting and flowering tops of the cannabis plant purported to be Marijuana (Hydroponic Weed), a substance covered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The officer then weighed the total fruiting and flowering tops of the cannabis plant purported to be Marijuana (Hydroponic Weed), which resulted in the recovery of a total net weight of 11.74 Kg valued at Rs 4.12 crore. In his statement to the Customs, Suhel stated that he was aware that smuggling of Marijuana into India attracts stringent punishment, but he was getting a handsome amount of quick and easy money for smuggling the contraband to India. Suhel was then placed under arrest on Sunday.

"The preliminary investigation carried out so far in accordance with the law and the statement given by the accused disclose involvement of other persons who are yet to be traced. The investigations in the case are at a very preliminary stage, and efforts are also being made to identify and apprehend key associates of the accused," said a Customs official.

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