In a major drug raid, officials from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs Commissionerate arrested a passenger at Pune International Airport for illegally smuggling hydroponic marijuana worth Rs 33.6 lakh.
The passenger had arrived from Bangkok on an Air India Express flight (IX-241) on Friday.
Acting on specific intelligence and profiling, AIU officers stopped him upon arrival and did a detailed inspection of his luggage.
During the search, the officials discovered 960 grams of hydroponic marijuana hidden within the passenger's handbag.
The illegal substance was:
Officials shared that these techniques are frequently used by smugglers to avoid airport screening processes, yet the officers carefully recognized suspicious signs and conducted a physical inspection.
The passenger was immediately taken into police custody, and a case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985.
Authorities are currently investigating the origin of the drugs, potential handlers, and investigating whether this case is connected to a broader international smuggling operation.