Multiple smuggling attempts were thwarted and four persons were arrested at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport on Saturday by Mumbai Customs officials, who also seized items worth over Rs 11 crore that included nearly 10 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana, exotic wildlife species and gold.
According to Customs officials, they acted on specific intelligence and intercepted an Indian national who arrived from Bangkok. A thorough examination of the passenger’s checked-in baggage revealed 9.662 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana, a high-grade variant of cannabis, with an estimated value of Rs 9.662 crore in the illicit market. The passenger was arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
(Express Photo)
In another incident, a passenger from Bangkok was arrested for carrying several exotic and non-native species — both alive and deceased — concealed in his bag. The recovery included raccoons (Procyon Lotor) one alive, 3 dead; black fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) 3 dead, and green iguanas 29 alive, 8 dead. The live animals were handed over to airline staff for deportation to their country of origin. Legal proceedings were initiated against the arrested passenger under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Customs Act, 1962.
In other two separate cases, two passengers from Dubai were found smuggling 24 KT gold in dust form hidden in wax and as small gold pieces weighing a total of 1.650 kg and valued at Rs 1.49 crore. The gold was hidden in their body cavities and inner pockets. Both were arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.
