Pune Customs seizes hydroponic ganja worth Rs 3.72 crore from Bangkok passenger at airport

Pune, November 5, 2026: Pune Customs on Wednesday evening seized 10.642 kg of hydroponic ganja from a passenger who arrived from Bangkok at Pune airport. Customs officials said the seized consignment is estimated to be worth Rs 3.72 crore.

Officials said the narcotic was hidden in the passenger's checked-in baggage. It was stuffed into packets labelled freeze-dried durian, which had been placed inside noodle packets. According to the officials, the ganja was thus brought to Pune airport concealed in packets of food items.

The passenger is an Indian citizen who arrived from Bangkok on November 4 on Air India Express flight IX-291. Passenger profiling was used to pick out suspects, and the scan of the baggage also showed something suspicious, which raised doubts. The Air Intelligence Unit and officers of the batch on duty at the airport then intercepted him.

A detailed examination of the bag turned up nine rectangular silver-coloured packets carrying a retail label reading "Freeze Dried Monthong Durian". Each packet held two vacuum-sealed layers of black polythene, apparently meant to hide the contents and keep them from being found in a check.

On opening the packets, officers found dried yellowish-green flowering tops with a strong odour. A preliminary test with a field testing kit for narcotics confirmed the substance to be hydroponic ganja, also known as marijuana.

The entire consignment weighing 10.642 kg, along with the packets and packing material, was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act), 1985. Everything wrapped around the ganja was taken into custody along with it.

The passenger was arrested. When produced before a magistrate, he was remanded in judicial custody until November 18.

Customs officials said further investigation is under way to find the network behind the smuggling attempt. The case has also brought to light a method of concealing narcotics in commercial packaging of food items to evade checks.