12 arrested as Customs uncover ₹45 crore smuggling racket at Mumbai airport

Mumbai Customs have seized hydroponic weed, gold and diamonds worth a collective ₹45 crore in a series of anti-smuggling operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport between December 3 and 10 , officials said.

According to authorities, 12 passengers all arriving from Bangkok were arrested in connection with the seizures. The Customs department has not yet released their names.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, Customs personnel apprehended nine passengers and recovered hydroponic weed valued at ₹37.26 crore .

The narcotics had been concealed in trolley bags tagged to other flights and, in some cases, stuffed inside lumps of tamarind, an official said.

All nine individuals were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act .

In a separate operation, officers intercepted three more passengers, also from Bangkok, and recovered 6 kg of suspected hydroponic weed worth ₹6 crore . All three were arrested.

Officials further seized gold worth ₹1.51 crore from four passengers, along with diamonds valued at ₹87.75 lakh from another flyer, registering cases under smuggling-related provisions.

Mumbai Customs has a history of intercepting high-value smuggling attempts at the airport. In recent months, officials seized hydroponic weed, gold, and undeclared foreign currency worth several crores from passengers arriving from Southeast Asia, leading to multiple arrests. These recurring operations highlight the airport as a frequent channel for narcotics and precious commodity smuggling, with authorities maintaining heightened vigilance.

Customs officials said interrogation is in progress to determine whether the arrested passengers were part of a larger smuggling network operating between Southeast Asia and India.