Hydroponic weed worth Rs 26.8 crore seized at Pune airport in consignment containing ‘Chinese-origin food items’

So, the officials of Air Cargo opened the white thermocol boxes. They found “seal intact tin cans” inside the boxes. When these cans were opened, the officials found “salt-like white coloured grainy powder” inside.

During further checks, the officials found vacuum-sealed transparent plastic packs containing hydroponic marijuana (cannabis) within the powder.

A total of 76.58 kg of hydroponic marijuana (cannabis), estimated at Rs 26.80 crore in the illicit market, was seized from the consignment, the press release mentioned.

“Immediately, search operations were undertaken by Pune Customs and one accused has been arrested so far. Further investigations are underway,” it stated further.

Investigators said hydroponic weed, also called ‘OG Kush’, is marijuana grown using hydroponic techniques.

On March 3, the Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs Department at Pune International Airport seized 745 gram of hydroponic weed, estimated to be worth Rs 74.5 lakh, from the lavatory of an Air India Express Bangkok-Pune flight.

While searching the aircraft, two yellow-coloured food packets were found in the tissue cabinet of the lavatory. These two food packets were found to contain ‘eight vacuum-sealed packets of hydroponic weed’, as per the press release.

Also, on February 11, the Customs Department had arrested a passenger at Pune International Airport for allegedly possessing 5.429 kg of hydroponic weed valued at Rs 5.42 crore in the illicit market. Officers from the Air Intelligence Unit, Pune Customs, had intercepted a passenger arriving from Bangkok by an Air India Express flight and seized the contraband stored in transparent packets inside five toy boxes in his luggage bag.

Last year in July, Customs officials had also nabbed a passenger at Pune International Airport for allegedly possessing 10.47 kg of hydroponic weed, worth Rs 10.5 crore. The accused had landed at Pune International Airport from Bangkok on an Indigo flight.