Customs nab Indian arriving from Bangkok with 6.39 kg of hydroponic marijuana at Ahmedabad airport

In a significant operation against international drug trafficking, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), working under the Customs Department at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA), Ahmedabad, seized 6.39 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana worth ₹6.39 crore from an Indian national who arrived from Bangkok.

The accused passenger had flown into Ahmedabad on an Air Asia flight FD-144 from Don Mueang Airport, Bangkok. Acting on specific intelligence, AIU officers intercepted the individual immediately after his arrival and subjected his baggage to intensive screening.

Upon inspection, officials discovered 24 vacuum-sealed, airtight plastic packets concealed within the luggage. These packets contained a greenish, lumpy substance that was later confirmed through field testing as hydroponic marijuana, a high-grade variant of cannabis cultivated using nutrient-rich water solutions instead of soil, often in controlled indoor environments.

The seized contraband weighed 6.39 kg and is estimated to be worth ₹6.39 crore in the illicit drug market. Customs officials confirmed that the entire quantity has been confiscated as per provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The passenger has been placed under arrest, and further legal proceedings are underway.

Hydroponic weed, known for its high potency and growing popularity among urban recreational users, has emerged as a preferred drug smuggled from Southeast Asian countries. Sources within the Customs Department suspect that this seizure could be part of a larger syndicate operating between Thailand and India.