13 Kg Hydroponic Ganja Seized at Ahmedabad Airport; Surat Couple Held

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Customs arrested two passengers arriving from Bangkok and seized 13.012 kg of hydroponic ganja concealed in vacuum-sealed packets inside their trolley bags at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) on Sunday.

The arrested passengers have been identified as Mohammed Akeel Sheikh (31) and Kaniz Zahera Momin (29), both residents of Surat, a Customs official said. Officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted the duo upon their arrival on Thai Airways flight TG-343 from Bangkok.

According to a Customs release, suspicious images were detected during the X-ray screening of their check-in baggage. A detailed examination subsequently led to the recovery of 14 vacuum-sealed packets from their trolley bags.

Preliminary testing confirmed that the substance was hydroponic ganja, weighing a total of 13.012 kg. The contraband is estimated to be worth around Rs 13 crore in the illicit drug market, a source said.

The passengers were arrested, and the narcotics were seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Further investigation is underway to establish the identities of the sender and the intended recipient of the consignment.

A senior official said preliminary investigations indicated that the duo were from Surat. The official added that the case was part of a series of instances in which passengers with no known criminal background were allegedly used as carriers to smuggle narcotics from foreign countries.

DeshGujarat