The customs officials at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport achieved a major breakthrough on Wednesday for curbing the trafficking of narcotics, as they collared a passenger arriving from Bangkok and seized 15 kgs of hydroponic weed from him, valued at Rs 5.23 crore, officials said. The accused was arrested under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. 

The development comes amid heightened efforts by the law enforcement agencies to curtail the smuggling of high-grade cannabis into India through international routes. 

Accused falls under scanner during surveillance

Officials aware of the incident said the passenger landed in Bengaluru from Bangkok and came under the customs authorities’ scanner during routine surveillance. After the officers suspected him, they inspected his checked-in-baggage. During the search, they allegedly recovered 15 kgs of the psychotropic substance concealed inside the luggage. The seized contraband is valued at approximately Rs 5.23 crore in the illicit market. 

The Bengaluru Customs also shared the update on their official ‘X’ handle, noting that the narcotics had been hidden carefully to evade detection during the screening procedures at the airport. 

Their tweet read, “Major NDPS Seizure at Bengaluru Airport | 09.06.2026 Bengaluru Customs intercepted a passenger arriving from Bangkok and seized 14.93 kg of hydroponic ganja, valued at ₹5.23 crore, concealed in checked-in baggage. The accused was arrested under the NDPS Act.”

Moreover, the authorities also revealed the identity of the accused and said further probe is underway to determine the source of consignment found in his possession, as well as potential links to larger drug trafficking networks. 

Another arrest made near Indo-Nepal border

In a parallel development, security personnel swooped down on a man near the India-Nepal border in UP’s Maharaganj district after they allegedly recovered more than 2.30 kgs of hydroponic weed from him. As per news agency PTI, the seized contraband is valued at close to Rs 1 crore in the international black market.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Idrish (34), a resident of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, was nabbed by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) sleuths at the Sonauli border area on Tuesday evening following intelligence inputs. 

SSB Assistant Commandant Priya Yadav said the accused had just entered India on foot from Nepal when the SSB Jawans stopped him for checking. When they inspected his bag, they found the narcotics concealed in his bag. 

After preliminary questioning, Idrish was handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and was booked under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act.