“We received intel about a passenger in possession of drugs. We intercepted him and found a crystal-like substance in his checked-in baggage. A field test confirmed that it was methaqualone, worth Rs 2.61 crore in the illicit market,” said a senior officer from the customs department, reported PTI. The accused has been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he added.
Hashish Worth Rs 1.1 Crore Seized in Thane District; One Arrested
In another case, a 29-year-old man was arrested for alleged possession of more than 1 kg of hashish worth Rs 1.1 crore in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Saturday, reported PTI.
Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotics squad laid a trap on the Shilphata-Mumbra Road on September 14 and intercepted the accused, Masud Badbuddin Ainarkar, senior inspector Rahul Maske said, reported PTI.
Ainarkar, a native of Ratnagiri, was found with the contraband, allegedly meant for sale. A case was registered against him under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and he has been remanded in police custody till September 23, the official added.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the hashish may have been smuggled from abroad. The accused is being interrogated to determine the source and intended distribution network,” the officer said.
Customs Seizes Hydroponic Weed Worth Rs 20 Crore at Mumbai Airport
Meanwhile, Mumbai Customs seized hydroponic weed worth Rs 20 crore and foreign currency worth Rs 26.37 lakh in three separate cases at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), an official said on Friday, reported PTI.
The seizures and arrests were made on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, the official added.
In the first case, a passenger traveling to Bangkok from Mumbai was intercepted, and foreign currency concealed in his checked-in trolley bag was recovered.
In the other two cases, the baggage of two passengers who had arrived from Bangkok was searched, leading to the seizure of hydroponic weed (a form of marijuana) worth Rs 20.062 crore, the official noted.
As much as 9.98 kg of hydroponic weed was seized from the first passenger, and 10.08 kg of the narcotic drug from the other. Both passengers were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the official confirmed.
