Delhi Customs foils hydroponic weed smuggling attempt at IGI airport

NEW DELHI, June 7, 2026 — Customs officers at Indrajal Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi intercepted a major narcotics smuggling attempt, seizing 15.38 kilograms of high-quality hydroponic weed valued at approximately 5.38 crore rupees in the illicit market.

Acting on specific intelligence and passenger profiling, the Air Intelligence Unit stopped two passengers who had arrived from Kuala Lumpur on flight D7-182.The suspects had already crossed the Green Channel when surveillance officers noticed they were carrying two brand-new geysers along with their regular checked baggage.

This raised suspicion, leading officers to conduct a sustained interrogation and review the passengers’ mobile phone communications. The water heaters were then subjected to an X-ray examination, which revealed anomalies within their internal structures.

Upon dismantling the appliances, officials discovered a sophisticated concealment mechanism containing 145 vacuum-sealed packets packed with a green leafy substance. Testing confirmed the material to be hydroponic weed.

Both passengers have been arrested, and the contraband has been confiscated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Further investigations are currently underway to trace the broader smuggling network.