Seven held at airport for smuggling hydroponic weed, gold

Over the weekend, customs officials in Mumbai registered five cases in which they arrested seven persons for allegedly trying to smuggle hydroponic weed and gold into the country through Mumbai airport. While in four of the five cases, the accused arriving from Thailand were carrying over 13 kg of hydroponic weed, in the other case, passengers attempting to smuggle in gold bars from Nairobi were placed under arrest. A total of seven persons were arrested by customs officials.

Providing details about the five operations carried out between Thursday and Sunday, an official said that in three cases, passengers arriving from Bangkok in Thailand were carrying hydroponic weed in their carry-on trolley. Four persons were placed under arrest. In one case, two passengers arriving from Phuket to Mumbai were carrying four kg hydroponic weed.

An official said ever since weed had been legalised in Thailand, there has been increasing attempts to smuggle in high-end hydroponic weed into the city.
In another case, a passenger carrying gold bars and 358 grams melted bars worth Rs 37 lakh was intercepted and placed under arrest while travelling from Nairobi to Mumbai.
Gold is purchased at cheap rates in other countries, smuggled into India where it is sold at high rates.