Officials from the Mumbai Customs Zone-III have successfully intercepted three major smuggling attempts at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) between May 7 and May 8, 2026. The operations led to the recovery of high-grade hydroponic weed and a significant cache of undeclared foreign currency, collectively valued at over ₹20.7 crore.
Forex Smuggling to Dubai Foiled
In the first significant operation, customs officers intercepted a passenger scheduled to travel to Dubai. During a thorough search of the traveler’s baggage, officials recovered USD 1,00,000 (approximately ₹93.45 lakh). The passenger was traveling from Jamnagar to Dubai via Mumbai on an Indigo Airlines flight when the undeclared currency was discovered. The individual was booked under the Customs Act for attempting to smuggle currency out of the country.
Major Drug Haul from Bangkok
The Mumbai Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) also executed two separate drug busts involving passengers arriving from Thailand.
- Case 1: Based on Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) profiling, officers intercepted a passenger arriving from Bangkok via Thai Airways. A search of the luggage led to the recovery of 17.915 kg of suspected hydroponic weed, valued at approximately ₹17.91 crore.
- Case 2: Acting on specific intelligence, officers intercepted two more passengers arriving from Bangkok on an Air India flight. This operation resulted in the seizure of 1.900 kg of hydroponic weed, worth roughly ₹1.90 crore.
The total quantity of narcotics seized in these two cases stands at 19.815 kg, with a combined market value of nearly ₹19.81 crore.
Growing Trend of Hydroponic Smuggling
As per reports, hydroponic weed a potent, laboratory-grown variant of cannabi s increasingly being smuggled into Indian metros from Southeast Asian hubs like Bangkok due to its high demand and premium price in the illicit market. Hydroponic weed a potent, laboratory-grown variant of cannabis is increasingly being smuggled into Indian metros from Southeast Asian hubs like Bangkok due to its high demand and premium price in the illicit market. Hydroponic weeda potent, laboratory-grown variant of cannabis—is increasingly being smuggled into Indian metros from Southeast Asian hubs like Bangkok due to its high demand and premium price in the illicit market.
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