Ahmedabad airport: 4.276 kg hydroponic marijuana worth ₹4 crore seized, Maharashtra man arrested
Synopsis
Three drug busts in weeks, all Bangkok arrivals, all at Ahmedabad airport — the latest netting 4.276 kg of hydroponic marijuana worth over ₹4 crore from a Maharashtra man's food-package hideout. The pattern points to an organised trafficking corridor that enforcement agencies are now racing to dismantle.
Key Takeaways
A 40-year-old man from Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra was arrested at Ahmedabad's SVPIA on 1 July 2025 .
Customs recovered 4.276 kg of hydroponic marijuana worth over ₹4 crore , concealed in 22 packets inside food packages in his checked-in bag.
The passenger had arrived from Bangkok on Thai Airways flight TG-343 and was flagged through passenger profiling.
On 28 June , a separate bust at the same airport yielded 10.911 kg of hydroponic marijuana worth ₹11 crore from a Bangkok arrival.
A third seizure in May netted 6.39 kg worth ₹6.39 crore from another Bangkok flight passenger.
All three cases have been registered under the NDPS Act, 1985 ; agencies are probing a suspected Southeast Asia–India air trafficking network.
A 40-year-old man from Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra was arrested at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) on Wednesday, 1 July after Customs officials recovered 4.276 kg of hydroponic marijuana — estimated at over ₹4 crore in the illicit market — from his checked-in baggage. The seizure was carried out by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Ahmedabad Customs after the passenger, arriving from Bangkok on Thai Airways flight TG-343, was flagged through passenger profiling.
How the Contraband Was Found
A thorough examination of the passenger's checked-in trolley bag led officers to 22 transparent white polythene-wrapped packets concealed inside food packages. The recovered substance was tested using a field testing kit, which returned a positive result for hydroponic marijuana (ganja). The total weight of the seized contraband was confirmed at 4.276 kg.
According to officials, it was the accused's first visit to Ahmedabad airport. The contraband has been seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and further investigation is underway.
Part of a Growing Pattern at Ahmedabad Airport
This seizure comes just days after another major drug bust at the same airport. On 28 June, Customs officers arrested a 20-year-old passenger from Junagadh after recovering 10.911 kg of hydroponic marijuana worth ₹11 crore from his checked-in baggage following his arrival from Bangkok — in that case, a sniffer dog had alerted officers during baggage screening.
Notably, in a separate case reported in May, the AIU seized 6.39 kg of hydroponic marijuana valued at approximately ₹6.39 crore from an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok on an AirAsia flight. The contraband was concealed in 24 vacuum-sealed packets hidden inside the passenger's luggage, and the accused was arrested under the NDPS Act.
Enforcement Agencies Tighten the Bangkok–Ahmedabad Route
Ahmedabad airport has witnessed several interceptions involving passengers arriving from Thailand in recent months, pointing to what enforcement agencies suspect is an organised trafficking network exploiting air routes to smuggle high-grade hydroponic cannabis into India. Customs and other agencies have stepped up surveillance on international arrivals from Southeast Asia as investigations into these suspected networks continue.
The three seizures together represent a combined haul of over 21 kg of hydroponic marijuana with a combined street value exceeding ₹21 crore, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing airport enforcement at one of India's busiest international gateways.
Point of View
Checked-in baggage, hydroponic marijuana, food-package concealment — in under six weeks at the same airport is not coincidence; it is a corridor. The fact that all three accused were first-time visitors to Ahmedabad airport suggests a supply chain deliberately rotating couriers to avoid profiling patterns. Customs has clearly sharpened its intelligence triggers, but the volume getting through before these intercepts is unknown. The real investigative question is whether any of the three cases have been linked upstream to the same supplier network in Thailand — and whether that link has been shared with Narcotics Control Bureau and Interpol.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized at Ahmedabad airport on 1 July 2025?
Customs officials recovered 4.276 kg of hydroponic marijuana, estimated at over ₹4 crore in the illicit market, from the checked-in baggage of a 40-year-old man from Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra. The contraband was concealed in 22 polythene-wrapped packets hidden inside food packages.
Who arrested the accused and under which law?
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Ahmedabad Customs made the arrest after intercepting the passenger through profiling. The case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and investigation is ongoing.
How did the passenger arrive and where was he coming from?
The accused arrived at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thai Airways flight TG-343 from Bangkok, Thailand. Officials confirmed it was his first visit to Ahmedabad airport.
Are there other recent drug seizures at Ahmedabad airport?
Yes. On 28 June, a 20-year-old from Junagadh was arrested after 10.911 kg of hydroponic marijuana worth ₹11 crore was found in his Bangkok-arrival baggage. In May, a separate seizure yielded 6.39 kg worth ₹6.39 crore from another Bangkok flight. All three cases involve the Bangkok–Ahmedabad route.
What are enforcement agencies doing about the drug trafficking route?
Customs and other enforcement agencies have stepped up surveillance on international arrivals from Southeast Asia. Investigators are probing a suspected organised network using air routes to smuggle high-grade hydroponic cannabis into India, with Ahmedabad airport emerging as a key interception point.
