Customs officials at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) have achieved another major success against drug smuggling. In this action taken on the basis of a secret information and vigilance on Friday morning, hydroponic ganja worth about Rs 14 crore was seized. This is being seen as a major blow to the increasing international drug smuggling through the airport.
According to senior officials of the Customs Department, this action took place at the ‘International Arrival Terminal’ when two passengers reached Hyderabad on a Qatar Airways flight. During the investigation, the suspicious activities of these two passengers attracted the attention of the authorities. When he was interrogated, contradictions were found in his answers. As suspicion deepened, he was taken aside and his belongings were thoroughly searched.
How were the packets of ganja hidden?
When officials examined their bags through state-of-the-art scanning equipment, cleverly designed secret compartments were found in them. Packets of ganja were very skillfully hidden inside these mines, when these packets were opened, 14 kg of high quality ‘hydroponic ganja’ was recovered. Its price in the international market has been estimated at Rs 1 crore per kg, a total of Rs 14 crore.
How is hydroponic marijuana grown?
According to experts, hydroponic hemp is grown in nutrient-rich water (without soil) instead of the traditional way in soil. It contains very high levels of ‘THC’, making it much more intoxicating and deadly than normal marijuana. For this reason, its demand is very high among international drug syndicates and it is sold at a very expensive price.
The accused were taken into custody
Taking immediate action, Customs officials took both the accused into custody and registered a case against them under relevant sections of the NDPS Act. Preliminary investigation has indicated that a big international drug racket may be active behind this. Officials are now investigating to whom this huge consignment of drugs was to be supplied in Hyderabad. The investigation team is investigating the ‘linkage’ of this smuggling between Qatar and India and some more major arrests are likely to be made in the coming days.
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