Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 8: In a significant anti-smuggling operation, Customs officials at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport have intercepted a major drug trafficking attempt, recovering 15.38 kilograms of suspected hydroponic cannabis concealed inside two electric water heaters.
The seizure was made on Sunday after Customs authorities, acting on intelligence inputs and risk-based passenger profiling, stopped two travelers who had arrived from Kuala Lumpur aboard Flight D7-182. The duo came under scrutiny after crossing the Green Channel at the airport.
During inspection, officers observed that the passengers were transporting two newly purchased geysers along with their luggage. Further questioning, combined with an examination of data and communications found on their mobile devices, prompted officials to conduct a more detailed investigation.
The appliances were subjected to X-ray screening, which revealed unusual objects hidden within their internal compartments. Customs personnel subsequently dismantled the geysers and discovered an elaborate concealment setup designed to evade detection.
A total of 145 vacuum-packed packets containing a green leafy substance, suspected to be hydroponically cultivated cannabis, were recovered from inside the appliances. The seized material weighed 15.38 kilograms and is estimated to have a black-market value of approximately Rs 5.38 crore.
Authorities have registered the case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Both passengers have been taken into custody, while investigators continue to probe the origin of the consignment and identify those intended to receive it.
The operation follows another recent narcotics seizure at the airport. On June 4, Customs officers confiscated 1.57 kilograms of suspected hydroponic cannabis valued at nearly Rs 55 lakh from a passenger arriving from Bangkok.
According to officials, the traveler had landed in Delhi on June 1 and was intercepted after passing through the Green Channel. A baggage scan revealed suspicious contents, leading to a detailed search that uncovered three vacuum-sealed packets containing the suspected narcotic substance.
The back-to-back seizures highlight intensified enforcement efforts by Customs authorities to curb the smuggling of illegal drugs through one of the country's busiest international gateways.