Customs officials attached to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Monday laid hands on three passengers in separate cases of narcotics smuggling after they seized as much as 6.7 kilograms of hydroponic weed concealed inside aircraft lavatories, beneath passenger seats and in checked baggage, officials reported.

All three interceptions, according to officials, involved passengers arriving from Bangkok and Phuket and were conducted on the basis of Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) profiling. If Customs authorities are to be believed, all the accused were arrested after arriving on separate international flights, leading to the seizure of the contraband in three distinct operations.

What is hydroponic weed?

Hydroponic weed, according to experts, is a high-potency variety of cannabis cultivated in nutrient-rich water rather than soil, and is known for its higher concentration of psychoactive compounds compared to conventional marijuana.

In the first case, a man of Indian origin, arriving in Delhi from Bangkok on Monday was intercepted after he crossed the Green Channel based on APIS profiling. Although officials found no suspicious items during the examination of the passenger’s baggage, the aircraft’s search led to the recovery of four sealed packets containing 3.7 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed concealed inside both rear lavatories.

During interrogation, the passenger allegedly admitted to hiding the packets inside the aircraft’s lavatories before disembarking.

Another contraband discovered beneath passenger seats

In another parallel operation executed on Monday, Customs officers intercepted a passenger arriving from Phuket after identifying the person through APIS profiling. When his baggage’s search yielded no incriminating material, officers conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft, which led to the recovery of six sealed packets containing 1.5 kg of hydroponic weed concealed beneath the seats in Row 12. As per officials, the passenger later confessed to concealing the contraband under the seats during the flight.

Suspicious baggage results in third arrest

The third seizure came to pass on Sunday after an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok crossed the Green Channel. During X-ray screening, Customs officers detected suspicious images in the passenger’s baggage.

When they searched the bag, it led to the recovery of two vacuum-sealed packets containing as much as 1.4 kg of hydroponic weed concealed inside the luggage.

Accused booked under NDPS Act, probe underway

Customs officials said all the three accused have been booked as well as arrested under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, while the contraband has been seized under Section 43(a) of the Act.

They added that further probe is underway to ascertain the sources, intended recipients and possible links to an organised international drug trafficking network.