Delhi airport Customs seize 17.7 kg hydroponic weed, 2 passengers under scanner

Delhi: Customs officials at the IGI Airport here have booked a case of drug smuggling after seizing 17.720 kg of suspected hydroponic weed from the baggage of an international passenger, officials said on Monday.

A passenger travelling from Bangkok to Delhi on May 12 was discreetly kept under surveillance by officers at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, an official statement said.

Simultaneously, another passenger arriving from Sharjah was spot-profiled while crossing the green channel carrying a bag without any baggage tag, the statement said.

During X-ray screening of the baggage, customs officers noticed suspicious images, prompting a detailed examination.

“On detailed enquiry and personal search, baggage tags were recovered from the passenger, who admitted that he had been instructed to collect the bag booked in the name of the Bangkok passenger,” the statement said.

According to the statement, further examination of the baggage led to the recovery of 17.720 kg of hydroponic weed (ganja), including packing material, concealed inside the bag.

The contraband was seized under provisions of the NDPS Act and further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of other persons in the smuggling network, it added.