Mumbai: The Mumbai Customs officials have arrested two individuals, including an airport staffer, in connection with two separate smuggling attempts involving gold dust and hydroponic weed worth a total of Rs 6.41 crore at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
According to officials, the seizures were made by the Airport Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs during routine duty on August 3rd and 4th, 2025. The first case involved a transit passenger who allegedly handed over 1.51 kg (1,510 grams) of gold dust in wax, valued at Rs 1.39 crore, to an airport staffer. The staffer later admitted to collecting four packets of 24-karat gold dust from the passenger, as reported by news agency PTI.
Man Caught Smuggling ₹14.73 Crore Worth of Weed in Fake MEA Envelopes at Mumbai Airport
In a separate news story, the customs officials at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMI) have arrested a man who arrived from Bangkok for allegedly attempting to smuggle hydroponic weed with an estimated illicit market value of Rs 14.73 crore.
According to officials, the accused tried to disguise the contraband as Confidential Diplomatic Cargo linked to national security. The narcotics were concealed in envelopes marked with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) insignia and sealed using official-looking MEA tape.
Authorities also discovered fake top-secret mission reports and copies of documents from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) inside the same trolley bag carried by the accused, further adding to the deception. Based on specific intelligence, Customs officers intercepted the passenger upon arrival on Sunday. A detailed examination of his baggage led to the recovery of 14.738 kg of suspected hydroponic marijuana, officials confirmed.
"The passenger was attempting to smuggle narcotic substances Hydroponic Weed by falsely declaring the consignment as Confidential Diplomatic Cargo linked to national security. The contraband was concealed inside envelopes bearing Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) markings and sealed with official MEA tape. The bag also contained copies of various UNODC reports and fake top Secret Mission Reports and these were kept inside the trolley bag carried by the passengers. The said passenger has been arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act," said a Customs official.
