New Delhi: In a major anti-narcotics operation, Customs officials at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) have seized suspected marijuana worth over ₹24 crore in three separate cases linked to passengers arriving from Bangkok. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the smuggling attempts, officials said.
According to officials, the coordinated action was carried out over multiple days after intelligence inputs and passenger profiling flagged suspicious movement. The contraband was discovered during detailed baggage inspections at Terminal 3 of the airport.
In the biggest seizure, an Uzbek national arriving from Bangkok was intercepted on May 4. Customs officials reportedly shifted the passenger from the international transit area for further scrutiny. During examination of a sea-green trolley bag, officers recovered 12 polythene packets containing a green-coloured substance suspected to be marijuana. The total weight of the recovered material was over 18 kg, with an estimated illegal market value of around ₹18 crore. The passenger was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on May 5.
In another incident on May 6, an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok was intercepted at the “Green Channel” based on profiling. A detailed X-ray and physical inspection of luggage led to the recovery of 11 packets of suspected narcotics weighing around 5.4 kg, valued at approximately ₹5.46 crore. The passenger was also taken into custody.
The third case involved another Indian passenger arriving on May 3. Officials found four packets containing nearly 1 kg of suspected marijuana concealed inside checked baggage. The estimated value of the seizure in this case was around ₹97 lakh.
Officials said all three seizures are being investigated further to trace the wider international drug trafficking network. Preliminary findings suggest that the consignments were part of a coordinated attempt to smuggle narcotics through air routes using passenger baggage.
Authorities have reiterated that strict surveillance, profiling, and intelligence-led checks at airports continue to be strengthened to curb drug trafficking through international travel routes. Investigations in all three cases are ongoing.
