Mumbai: The Mumbai airport customs officials arrested two passengers for allegedly smuggling hydroponic weed worth Rs8.56 crore from Bangkok. The accused, Mohammad Swail, 23, and Sameer Khan, 21, both residents of Uttar Pradesh, were intercepted on Saturday while crossing the green channel at T2, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, based on spot profiling.
Passengers Admit Possession of Hydroponic Weed
On searching their baggage, customs officers recovered packets containing green dry leafy substance, identified as flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant, commonly called Hydroponic Weed, covered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act. A total of 8,562 grams of weed was seized. During questioning, both admitted knowledge, possession, concealment, and recovery of the narcotics. Investigations also revealed the involvement of other persons who are yet to be traced.
A customs official said efforts are underway to identify associates and determine who was to receive the consignment. Advocates Prabhakar Tripathi and Shubham Upadhyay argued in court that the accused were misled into carrying the baggage, believing it contained food items, and had no knowledge of the concealed drugs. Both were remanded to judicial custody.
