Nalasopara Woman Arrested at Mumbai Airport With 2.5 kg Hydroponic Weed

Mumbai Airport Customs officers have arrested a 38-year-old woman from Nalasopara for allegedly smuggling 2,501 grams of hydroponic weed sourced from Bangkok. The passenger was intercepted at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

According to Customs authorities, the operation was carried out based on specific intelligence. Officers from the Air Intelligence Unit intercepted the passenger, identified as S.Y. Pol, after she arrived on a flight from Bangkok and crossed the green channel. She was then escorted to the AIU office for a detailed examination.

A thorough search of her baggage revealed two packets containing 2,501 grams of hydroponic ganja. The seized contraband falls under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Following the recovery, Pol was served with a summons and her statement was recorded. Officials said she admitted to being aware that smuggling the flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant and other illegal narcotics into India attracts stringent punishment under Indian law. She was subsequently placed under arrest.

Customs officials stated that the preliminary investigation and the statement provided by the accused indicate the involvement of additional individuals who are yet to be traced. Authorities noted that the investigation remains at an early stage, with ongoing efforts to identify and apprehend key operatives linked to the drug cartel.

A recent report by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence highlighted that policy changes permitting the cultivation and commercial sale of cannabis in Thailand have created opportunities for drug trafficking networks. The report noted an increase in hydroponic weed smuggled into India through airport passenger traffic and courier channels, frequently transported from Bangkok in vacuum-sealed packets.