Customs seizes contraband worth Rs 36 lakh at Kolkata Airport

Kolkata: Customs officials at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI) in Kolkata seized marijuana/ganja valued at approximately Rs 36,00,000 after intercepting a passenger arriving from Bangkok on Friday.

Customs officers at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata, intercepted one male passenger arriving from Bangkok by flight B3-701. They detected suspicious contents in his checked-in baggage while he was crossing the Green Channel and moving toward the exit gate, according to a release.

Further, his checked-in baggage was examined at the Air Intelligence Unit room in the presence of independent witnesses. Upon opening the trolley bags, three edible item pouches containing vacuum-sealed plastic packets were found concealing marijuana/ganja.


The thorough search of the passenger and his baggage resulted in the recovery of marijuana/ganja having a cumulative gross weight of 1,148 grams, valued at approximately Rs 36,00,000, from one piece of the passenger's checked-in baggage (a trolley bag).

The NDPS substance was ingeniously concealed in edible item pouches containing vacuum-sealed plastic packets, which were airtight and designed to avoid detection. The recovered goods were seized under Section 43(a) of the NDPS Act, 1985.

A similar case was observed earlier this month when customs officers on April 4 intercepted a male Indian national at Ahmedabad Airport after suspicions arose during hand baggage screening.

The passenger had arrived from Bangkok (Don Mueang) on VietJet Airlines Flight VZ-750 at 22:55 hours."Upon detailed examination of his hand baggage, four vacuum-sealed packets containing a greenish substance were recovered. The substance tested positive for hydroponic weed (marijuana), weighing 1.107 kg," a Customs official said.

The contraband has been seized, and the passenger has been arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.