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In yet another major drug haul at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) on Monday seized over eight kilograms of high-grade marijuana from a passenger arriving from Bangkok.
The accused was promptly arrested and presented before a competent court.
According to AIU officials, the passenger, a male traveller on Thai Lion Airways flight SL 212, was intercepted upon arrival from Bangkok on July 28.
Acting on a tip-off, officers isolated the suspect and conducted a detailed baggage check, which led to the discovery of 15 vacuum-sealed plastic packets hidden in his luggage.
The packets contained approximately 8,286.20 grams of marijuana worth ₹8.2 crore, suspected to be hybrid-grade cannabis, often considered more potent than traditional strains.
The arrested individual has been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and is being interrogated for further leads.
The case has raised serious concerns among central enforcement agencies, as Ahmedabad airport has witnessed multiple narcotics seizures in recent months.
Notably infamous for gold smuggling, the airport now appears to be emerging as a hotspot for drug trafficking, particularly from Southeast Asian routes.
Officials suspect the use of similar smuggling channels by cartels, shifting focus from gold to narcotics.
With this latest seizure, enforcement agencies are likely to increase surveillance and passenger profiling at the airport to curb the inflow of banned substances.