Pune: Customs Seize Hydroponic Marijuana Worth Rs 26.8 Crore At Airport Cargo Terminal

Pune: The Pune Customs department seized hydroponic marijuana worth around Rs 26.80 crore at the air cargo complex of Pune International Airport on Thursday (March 26), officials announced on Sunday.

The contraband was discovered in an import consignment falsely declared as food items of Chinese origin. According to officials, the shipment had arrived from Thailand and was labelled as ‘Mandarin orange sacs', packed in white thermocol boxes to avoid suspicion.

During routine X-ray scanning at the air cargo facility, officers observed discrepancies in the images, which did not resemble typical organic or food products. This anomaly raised suspicion, prompting customs officials to conduct a detailed physical inspection of the consignment.

Upon opening one of the boxes, officers found sealed tin cans inside. These cans appeared ordinary at first glance and contained a white, salt-like substance. However, closer examination revealed vacuum-sealed transparent plastic packets concealed within the powder. These packets were found to contain hydroponic marijuana, a high-potency form of cannabis cultivated using advanced techniques.

Following this discovery, officials conducted a thorough examination of the entire shipment. In total, 76.58 kg of hydroponic cannabis was recovered from the consignment.

Officials stated that the estimated value of the seized drugs in the illegal market is approximately Rs 26.80 crore, indicating a major narcotics smuggling attempt.

Immediately after the seizure, a search operation was launched to trace those involved in the operation. So far, one आरोपी has been arrested in connection with the case. Authorities suspect a larger international network may be involved, and further investigation is currently underway to identify and apprehend other suspects linked to the smuggling racket.