Rs.12.5 Cr Hydroponic Ganja Seized at Ahmedabad Airport

Ahmedabad, Gujarat –  In a shocking escalation of drug trafficking incidents, hydroponic marijuana worth ₹12.5 crore was seized from three Indian tourists arriving from Bangkok at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Tuesday. This marks the second consecutive day such a seizure has been made and the third major bust within a week, indicating a disturbing trend in international drug smuggling via Thailand.

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), acting on a tip-off and suspicious baggage scanning results, intercepted the three passengers and found 12.557 kilograms of hydroponic ganja packed in 24 airtight packets. Officials revealed that the contraband was hidden in such a way that it could evade casual inspection, but scanning revealed anomalies in the luggage contents.

“This is not a coincidence; it points to an organised drug syndicate using Indian tourists as carriers,” said a senior customs official involved in the operation. “All three passengers have been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and further investigation is underway.”

Just a day earlier, an Indian woman flying in from Bangkok via Vietnam was caught with 19.728 kilograms of hydroponic ganja hidden in her trolley bag. The ganja, packed in 18 vacuum-sealed packets, was confirmed by lab testing and valued at ₹19.72 crore. She, too, was arrested under the NDPS Act.

These two back-to-back seizures come on the heels of another massive bust a week ago, where four tourists from Bangkok were caught with 37 kilograms of hydroponic ganja cleverly disguised among snack packets. The total value of that seizure was estimated at ₹37 crore.

“This level of high-grade hydroponic cannabis is cultivated under controlled environments and is much more potent than traditional marijuana. It’s clearly being smuggled for high-end buyers in India,” said a senior Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) official.

The repeated incidents have triggered serious concerns within the intelligence community, prompting enhanced scrutiny of all incoming passengers from Southeast Asia. “We have increased vigilance on all flights coming from drug-sensitive regions, especially Bangkok,” an airport security official said.

Hydroponic marijuana is considered premium contraband due to its strength and high market demand. Smugglers seem to be targeting Gujarat as a transit and distribution hub—a dangerous shift in the state’s drug trafficking map.

With three seizures amounting to over ₹69 crore worth of hydroponic ganja in just seven days, authorities are now treating the matter as part of a broader international racket.

The Customs Department, NCB, and local police are conducting a joint investigation to identify the syndicate behind these operations and ensure further arrests. Surveillance at Ahmedabad airport has been tightened, and routine baggage checks are now being supplemented with advanced narcotics detection protocols.