4.03 Kg Hydroponic Ganja Seized at Chennai Airport, Malaysian National Arrested

Chennai Customs officials have seized 4.033 kg of suspected high-grade hydroponic ganja from a Malaysian national at Chennai International Airport, following his arrival from Bangkok, officials said.

Based on passenger profiling, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted the passenger on the night of August 7, 2026. The passenger had attempted to exit the airport through the Green Channel without making a declaration to Customs.

During X-ray screening, officials detected suspicious images in the passenger’s checked-in baggage. A detailed examination of the luggage led to the recovery of four packets containing a greenish, lumpy substance that emitted a sharp and pungent odour.

The packets had been ingeniously concealed inside false bottoms of the checked-in baggage, according to Chennai Customs. The recovered substance weighed 4,033 grams in net weight and tested positive for Ganja/Marijuana using a Narcotic Drug Detection Kit.

The contraband was subsequently seized under Section 43(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The passenger was arrested and has been remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation into the case is underway.

Chennai Customs has also issued a warning to the public, particularly young people, against accepting offers of sponsored foreign travel or easy money in exchange for carrying unknown baggage during return journeys.

According to the department, recent cases indicate that smuggling syndicates are targeting young individuals by financing their travel, accommodation and other expenses before using them as carriers to transport contraband into India.

Customs authorities cautioned that involvement in such activities can have serious consequences, including strict legal punishment and long-term damage to an individual’s life and future. The department urged travellers to exercise caution and never accept or transport baggage on behalf of unknown persons.