₹26.8 Cr Hydroponic Marijuana seized at Pune airport, One arrested

Customs authorities at Pune International Airport have seized hydroponic marijuana worth approximately ₹26.8 crore from a consignment falsely labelled as “Mandarin orange sacs,” officials said on Sunday.

The seizure was made on March 26 after an air cargo shipment arrived from Bangkok. One individual has been arrested in connection with the case, authorities confirmed.

According to a statement issued by the Customs department, the consignment was declared as food items of Chinese origin and packed in white thermocol boxes . However, during routine screening, officials noticed anomalies in the scanned images , which did not match the characteristics of organic goods.

Acting on suspicion, officers opened one of the boxes and discovered sealed tin cans inside . Upon further inspection, the cans were found to contain a white, salt-like granular substance . Closer examination revealed vacuum-sealed plastic packets concealed within the material, which were later identified as hydroponic marijuana.

Subsequent checks of the entire consignment led to the recovery of 76.58 kilograms of the contraband , valued at nearly ₹26.8 crore in the international market.

Hydroponic marijuana, commonly referred to as “hydro weed,” is a high-potency variant of cannabis cultivated using water-based, nutrient-rich solutions instead of soil. It is known for its stronger effects and higher market value compared to conventional cannabis.

Officials said further investigation is underway to trace the network involved in the smuggling operation and identify the intended recipients of the consignment.