Rs 24 crore marijuana seized at Delhi airport; 3 arrested

NEW DELHI: Customs officials at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport have seized over 24 kg of suspected marijuana valued at more than ₹24 crore in three separate cases involving passengers arriving from Bangkok, officials said on Thursday. In the biggest seizure, an Uzbek national arriving from Bangkok on May 4 was apprehended after specific intelligence inputs. Officials said the passenger was offloaded from the international transit area and subjected to detailed examination, during which 12 polythene pouches containing suspected marijuana were recovered from a sea green trolley bag. The total recovery weighed over 18.003 kg and was valued at around ₹18 crore in the illicit market. The passenger was arrested on May 5 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the contraband was seized. In another case on May 6, an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok was intercepted at the Green Channel based on profiling and subjected to X-ray and baggage examination. Officials recovered 11 polythene pouches containing a green-coloured narcotic substance from a black trolley bag. The seized substance weighed 5.467 kg and was valued at approximately ₹5.46 crore. The passenger was arrested under provisions of the NDPS Act. In a third case on May 3, another Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok at Terminal-3 was intercepted based on profiling. During baggage inspection, four polythene pouches containing suspected marijuana were recovered. The total seizure weighed 977 grams and was valued at about Rs 97.77 lakh in the illicit market. Field tests confirmed the substance as marijuana, officials said. The passenger was also arrested under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.