In a major breakthrough under Operation Weed Out, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit, intercepted a large consignment of narcotics at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). Acting on precise intelligence inputs, officials seized 42.34 kilograms of high-grade hydroponic marijuana (weed) valued at approximately ₹42 crore in the illicit market.
The consignment was being smuggled into India from Bangkok by two passengers, who were apprehended immediately upon arrival. The seizure marks yet another success in DRI’s sustained crackdown on international drug-trafficking syndicates operating through India’s western gateways.
Modus Operandi
Preliminary investigation revealed that the traffickers employed sophisticated concealment techniques to evade detection. The contraband was hidden inside 21 food packets — including noodles, biscuits, and other consumable items — which appeared completely ordinary from the outside.
The packaging was designed to mimic legitimate commercial products, enabling the traffickers to pass through customs screening with minimal suspicion. However, upon detailed examination, field tests using NDPS detection kits confirmed the presence of hydroponic cannabis, a high-potency strain cultivated through controlled scientific methods.
Authorities noted that such concealment within processed food items reflects an emerging smuggling trend, where international cartels exploit trusted packaging formats and Indian nationals as unsuspecting or complicit couriers.
Arrest and Seizure
Both passengers were arrested under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and remanded to judicial custody.
The operation yielded:
- 42.34 kg of Hydroponic Weed concealed in 21 food packets
- Estimated market value: ₹42 crore
- Point of origin: Bangkok, Thailand
- Point of interception: Mumbai International Airport
This seizure follows another major bust on October 31, 2025, when DRI recovered 4.7 kg of cocaine worth ₹47 crore, arresting five persons, including carriers, handlers, and financers. In total, DRI has seized narcotics worth over ₹100 crore in just three days.
Under Operation Weed Out, DRI has now confiscated 292.9 kg of hydroponic marijuana from various airports across India — a decisive strike against transnational drug networks.
Team Led By
The operation was led by senior officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (Mumbai Zonal Unit), under the supervision of the Principal Additional Director General (Western Region). A dedicated enforcement team executed the interception based on actionable intelligence developed through multi-agency coordination and electronic surveillance.
Name of Police Station
The case has been formally registered under the NDPS Act, 1985 at the DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit, operating in coordination with the Airport Police Station, Mumbai, for procedural documentation and further custodial proceedings.
