Bhubaneswar: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs officials have seized 5.291 kg of hydroponic cannabis, valued at around Rs 1.85 crore in the international market, from four passengers arriving from Bangkok at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here, officials said on Saturday.
Acting on specific intelligence, the DRI’s Bhubaneswar Regional Unit intercepted the passengers on October 17 and searched their baggage in coordination with Customs officials.
During the examination of baggage belonging to three passengers, officials discovered specially designed concealed compartments containing six packets of a green-coloured substance weighing 4.877 kg. The packets were recovered after the hidden compartments were opened using hand tools.
No suspicious concealment was initially detected in the fourth passenger’s baggage. However, a personal search led officials to a tin container labelled as dog food. The passenger’s inability to satisfactorily explain the container prompted further examination.
The officials then deployed ‘Rubel’, a detector dog from the Indian Customs K-9 squad stationed at the airport, to examine the container. After being exposed to a suspected narcotics packet recovered from another passenger’s baggage, the dog was directed to sniff the tin and gave a positive indication.
Following the alert, officials opened the container and recovered an additional 414 grams of the green-coloured substance concealed inside it.
The seized material was tested using a narcotic drug detection kit, which confirmed it to be cannabis, also known as marijuana. The total seizure from the four passengers amounted to 5.291 kg, with an estimated international market value of Rs 1.85 crore.
The passengers and the seized contraband were subsequently handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Bhubaneswar Customs for further legal action.
Further investigation into the case is underway, officials said.
