Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Airport Customs on Monday arrested four persons for allegedly smuggling Hydroponic Weed worth Rs 15.85 crore procured from Bangkok.
The arrested person have been identified as Surat residents Bhavik Prajapati (25), Dharmik Makwana (22), Ronit Balar (23) and Hitenkumar Kacchadiya (23).
According to the Customs sources, based on spot profiling, the AIU officers on Sunday intercepted four passengers at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after they arrived from Bangkok.
During the search of their baggage, the AIU officers recovered eight packet each from each passenger containing fruiting and flowering top of the plant purported to be Hydroponic Weed totally weighing 15.84 kilograms valued at Rs 15.85 crore.
The said contraband was seized by the Customs officials under reasonable belief that it was being smuggled to India. "The accused persons in their voluntary statements said that they were aware that smuggling of hydroponic weed and other illegal drugs into India attracts stringent punishment. However they were getting handsome amount of quick and easy money in lieu of smuggling the contraband to India," said a Customs official.
"The preliminary investigations carried out so far and statement given by accused disclose involvement of other persons who are yet to be traced. Investigation in the case are at very preliminary stage and efforts are also being made to identify and apprehend key associates of the accused," the official said.
