Marijuana worth Rs 18.5 cr recovered from trolley bags abandoned inside aircraft at Delhi airport

Delhi: Customs officials at the IGI Airport here have recovered suspected marijuana worth Rs 18.57 crore from trolley bags which were found abandoned inside an aircraft, according to an official statement issued Thursday.

Officials said the alleged trafficking bid came to light after unclaimed trolley bags were recovered during aircraft security check of a flight that arrived from Bangkok on April 20, the statement said.

“The trolley bags, found left in a suspicious manner inside the aircraft, were handed over by airline staff to Customs in the Arrival Hall, Terminal-3. The bags were subsequently subjected to X-ray screening at the Green Channel, where suspicious images were noticed,” it said.

On detailed inspection, a total of 19 polythene pouches (transparent/black-transparent) containing suspected marijuana was found concealed in the bags, it added.

According to customs, the gross weight of the recovered packets is approximately 20.5 kg, and after deducting packaging weight, the net weight of the contraband was found to be 18.57 kg.

“The substance, on preliminary testing, was found to be ganja/marijuana. The estimated value of the seized contraband is approximately Rs 18.57 crore,” the statement said.

The contraband, along with packing material, has been seized under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, it added.