Mumbai Customs have arrested four persons, including two airport employees, over the weekend on June 21-22, in two different cases at the Mumbai airport.
First Case
The Officers of the Air Intelligence Unit at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai Customs Zone III, intercepted two individuals employed at the airport on June 22, 2025, based on surveillance.
Upon personal examination, officers recovered 24KT gold dust in wax, concealed inside the socks kept in their pockets. The total net weight of gold seized was 4.44 kilograms, with a provisional value of ₹4.24 crores. Both the staffers have been arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and further investigation is underway to trace the source of the gold and syndicate involvement.
Second Case
On June 21, 2025, acting on specific intelligence, the officers at airport, Mumbai Customs Zone III, intercepted two Indian nationals arriving from Bangkok. Upon examination of their checked-in baggage, the officers recovered multiple vacuum-sealed packets containing a greenish substance, purported to be hydroponic weed (marijuana), with a total net weight of 11.881 kilograms, having an illicit market value of ₹11.88 crores.
The contraband was concealed inside pillow covers kept in the trolley bags carried by the passengers. Both individuals have been arrested under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985. Further investigation is underway to identify the larger syndicate involved in this smuggling attempt.
Similar Recent Incident
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the Customs officers at CSMIA, Mumbai Customs Zone-III, seized 24.96 kilograms of hydroponic weed having illicit market value of ₹24.66 Cr smuggled from Thailand. The operation led to the arrest of two passengers and one receiver involved in the illicit activity.
On Wednesday, acting on specific intelligence, customs officials intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok at Mumbai’s international airport. A thorough examination of their luggage revealed hydroponic weed concealed in vacuum-sealed packages.
Following the interception, a coordinated operation led to the apprehension of the intended receiver, who was waiting to collect the consignment. The three individuals have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Preliminary investigations suggest the involvement of an international drug trafficking syndicate, with further investigation underway to trace the network’s operations.
This operation led to achievement of a significant breakthrough in combating of drug trafficking.
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