Based on spot checks and APIS profiling, customs officers filed three cases involving the seizure of 9.581 kg of suspected hydroponic weed, valued at approximately Rs 9.58 crore in the illicit market
Customs officers seized 9.581 kg of suspected hydroponic weed valued around Rs 9.58 crore in the illicit market. Pic/Mumbai Customs
Officers of the Mumbai Customs Zone–3 seized more than 24 kg of suspected hydroponic weed and over 1.3 kg of gold in multiple cases at the city airport between February 11 and February 17.
According to a press note issued by the Airport Commissionerate, the cases were detected through spot checks, advance passenger information system (APIS) profiling, and specific intelligence inputs.
Hydroponic weed seizures
Based on spot checks and APIS profiling, customs officers booked three cases involving the seizure of 9.581 kg of suspected hydroponic weed, valued at approximately Rs 9.58 crore in the illicit market. The contraband was recovered from three passengers who had arrived from Bangkok. All the three accused were arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
In separate operations based on specific intelligence inputs, officers filed three more cases involving 14.780 kg of suspected hydroponic weed, valued at Rs 14.78 crore. Narcotics were recovered from three passengers arriving from Bangkok, who were subsequently arrested under the NDPS Act.
In total, 24.361 kg of suspected hydroponic weed, estimated to be worth more than Rs 24.36 crore in the illegal market, was seized during the week.
Gold smuggling cases
Customs officers also filed three gold-smuggling cases during the same period. A total of 1,336.62 grams of gold, valued at approximately Rs 1.85 crore, was recovered from three passengers.
Further investigations are underway in all cases.
Drug smuggling attempts soar at Mumbai airport, 207 cases booked in FY26
In a major crackdown at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the Airport Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs Zone-3 has reported a sharp surge in narcotics cases this financial year.
According to officials, 207 cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act until January 2026 (FY 2025-26), compared to just 57 cases in FY 2024-25, marking nearly a fourfold jump. Authorities said the spike reflects both heightened enforcement and increasingly sophisticated smuggling attempts being detected at the airport.
In FY 2024–25, customs officers registered 57 cases, arrested 81 persons and seized 388.42 kg of narcotics valued at Rs 435.57 crore. The haul included 383.13 kg of hydroponic weed worth Rs 383 crore and 5.09 kg of cocaine valued at Rs 50.9 crore.
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