Pune Customs arrested 44 passengers arriving from Bangkok for smuggling hydroponic cannabis.
Officials seized 13.7 kg of the drug, packed in 26 airtight packets, worth crores in the international market.
Four key accused, including two from Maharashtra and one from Gujarat, were remanded under the NDPS Act.
Pune, 2nd September 2025: In one of the biggest drug seizures at Pune International Airport, the Customs Department arrested 4 passengers for attempting to smuggle hydroponic cannabis from Bangkok. Officials recovered 13.725 kilograms of the narcotic, concealed in luggage and packed in 26 airtight packets.
The contraband, cultivated in controlled environments and considered far more expensive than regular cannabis, is valued at several crores in the international market.
Among those arrested are Alia Ilyas Ansari (24), Mohammad Kaif Ansari (23) of Mumbra, Zahidhussain Sheikh (29) of Gujarat’s Valsad district, and Zaibunisa Amin Sheikh (46) from Palghar’s Boisar area. Customs officials said Ansari and Sheikh arrived on a Bangkok flight, while Zaibunisa Sheikh was waiting outside the airport to collect the consignment.
A strong odor from the bags first alerted officials, who then conducted detailed checks. Following the seizure, all accused were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and remanded to judicial custody. The case is being investigated by the Customs Air Intelligence Unit, led by officer Prince Kumar.
Authorities added that cases of hydroponic cannabis smuggling into Pune have been increasing, making this latest seizure a significant breakthrough in curbing the illegal trade.