Pune Airport: Hydroponic Weed Worth Rs 8.71 Crore Seized from Bangkok Flight, 5 Arrested
Pune, 10th March 2026: Officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Pune International Airport have seized hydroponic marijuana valued at around Rs 8.71 crore and arrested five people in a drug smuggling case.
According to officials from Pune Customs Commissionerate (Pune Zone), the operation was carried out on March 9, 2026, after officers identified suspicious passengers through profiling. Acting on the intelligence, officials intercepted four passengers who had arrived from Bangkok on an Indigo flight (6E-1096).
During the operation, another person who had come to the airport to receive the passengers and the suspected consignment was also detained by officials.
A detailed search of the passengers’ handbags led to the recovery of 16 airtight sealed packets containing hydroponic weed, a high-grade form of marijuana. The total quantity seized was 8,710 grams.
Officials estimated the illicit market value of the seized contraband at approximately Rs 8.71 crore.
All five individuals were arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Authorities said further investigation is underway to determine the source of the drugs and whether a larger trafficking network is involved.
