Pune customs officials seized 10.642 kg of hydroponic cannabis valued at Rs 3.72 crore from a passenger arriving from Bangkok, after the substance was allegedly concealed inside packets of noodles and freeze-dried durian. The passenger was arrested at Pune International Airport and remanded to judicial custody until November 18, according to a report by Lokmat – Pune.
The seizure was carried out on November 4 by the Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs Department. The passenger had arrived in Pune on Air India Express flight IX-291 from Bangkok. Customs officials reportedly found his movements suspicious and inspected his trolley bag.
The bag contained packets of noodles and nine silver packets labelled as freeze-dried Monthong durian. The packets initially appeared to contain ordinary food products. During a closer inspection, officials found two layers of black plastic inside them, along with vacuum-sealed bags.
The sealed bags contained yellowish-green dried flower buds with a strong odour. A test using the Customs Department’s narcotics detection kit indicated that the substance was hydroponic cannabis, the report said. Officials then seized the cannabis along with the packing material allegedly used to transport it.
Customs authorities valued the seized substance at Rs 3.72 crore in the international market. The passenger was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and produced before a court. The court ordered that he remain in judicial custody until November 18.
The case has drawn attention to the use of food-product packaging to conceal prohibited substances during international air travel. The report said the concealment method presents a new challenge for airport inspection systems, which must distinguish between routine packaged food items and containers being used to transport contraband.
The action was conducted under the guidance of Dheeraj More of the Customs Department. The supplied report does not identify the passenger by name or provide further details about the alleged source, intended recipient or wider network connected to the seizure. The investigation and court proceedings are continuing, with the next stated custody milestone set for November 18.
