Man Arrested at Mumbai Airport with Rs 2 Crore Hydroponic Weed from Bangkok
Officers of the Mumbai Airport Customs on Sunday arrested a passenger at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for allegedly smuggling 6.6 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed valued at around Rs 2 crore from Bangkok. The accused, identified as Abhishek Tailor, a resident of Surat in Gujarat, was intercepted upon his arrival in Mumbai.
Customs officials acted on specific intelligence to intercept Tailor in the arrival hall after his flight landed from Bangkok. Following the interception, a Customs team led by officer Alok Kumar escorted the passenger to the airport's CCTV room to inspect his luggage.
During the search of Tailor's trolley bag, Customs officers recovered eight triple-layered plastic vacuum-sealed packets hidden inside. The packets contained a green-coloured dry leafy substance in fruiting and flowering top form, which was purported to be hydroponic weed with an estimated street value of Rs 2 crore.
Customs authorities subsequently issued a summons to Tailor, and his voluntary statement was recorded. In his statement to officials, Tailor admitted to the non-declaration, concealment, recovery, and seizure of the narcotics substance, confessing that he had undertaken the act for monetary consideration. He was formally placed under arrest following the admission.
Special Public Prosecutor Hrishikesh Munde presented arguments for the Customs department in court, after which Tailor was remanded to judicial custody as the legal proceedings commenced.
A Customs officer stated that the preliminary investigation and the statement given by the accused point to the involvement of other individuals who are yet to be identified and traced. Authorities noted that the case remains at a very preliminary stage, with ongoing efforts being made to ascertain the source, intended recipient, financing, supply chain, and other associates involved in the smuggling operation.
The arrest comes amid broader trends highlighted in a recent Directorate of Revenue Intelligence report, which noted that policy changes permitting the cultivation and sale of cannabis in Thailand have increased accessibility and created new opportunities for drug traffickers. This shift has led to rising instances of hydroponic weed being smuggled into Indian airports and courier routes, predominantly from Bangkok, using a common modus operandi where carriers conceal the drug in vacuum-sealed packets.
