The contraband was concealed inside envelopes bearing purported Ministry of External Affairs markings and sealed with official MEA tape, the official said, adding that the trolley bag also contained copies of various UNODC and fake "top secret mission" report
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The officials said that the Mumbai Customs has arrested a traveller at the international airport here for allegedly trying to smuggle 15 kg of hydroponic weed with an estimated value of Rs 14.73 crore, reported news agency PTI.
The contraband was concealed in a packet labelled as "Diplomatic Pouch of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)", officials said on Sunday, reported PTI.
The traveller had landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from Bangkok, an official said.
"During the examination of his baggage, Customs officers recovered 14.738 kg of suspected hydroponic weed (marijuana), with an illicit market value of approximately Rs 14.738 crore," he said, adding that the accused was trying to smuggle the contraband by falsely declaring the consignment as confidential diplomatic cargo linked to national security, reported PTI.
The contraband was concealed inside envelopes bearing purported Ministry of External Affairs markings and sealed with official MEA tape, he said, adding that the trolley bag also contained copies of various UNODC and fake "top secret mission" reports.
A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Probe into mega mephedrone haul nets Rs 43.80 cr worth of contraband from Powai
In another case, the probe into the mega Rs 390 crore mephedrone haul by Mumbai police led to seizure of another consignment of the contraband worth Rs 43.97 crore from Powai in the central-eastern part of the metropolis on Thursday, an official said, reported PTI.
Mumbai police had seized more than 187 kilograms of mephedrone worth Rs 382 crore following a raid in Mysuru in neighbouring Karnataka last week. The probe into the case began in April this year after a man was held with 52 grams of mephedrone in Sakinaka in western Mumbai, and his interrogation led police to three more persons, from whom 4.53 kilograms of mephedrone worth Rs 8 crore was recovered, reported PTI.
Eight people have been arrested in the case so far.
"Based on the interrogation of the arrested accused, a further consignment of 21.9 kilograms of mephedrone worth Rs 43.80 crore was seized from Powai along with chemicals worth Rs 16 lakh used in manufacturing the contraband," the official said, reported PTI.
The total haul in the case now stands at more than 210 kilograms of mephedrone worth almost Rs 435 crore, the official informed.
Further probe into the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act case is underway to unravel the peddling network as well as the supply chain of items used to manufacture mephedrone, he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
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