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Customs seize 11 kg hydroponic cannabis at Chennai airport; two passengers from Kerala arrested

Published on: 18 Jun 2026, 06:36 PM

Chennai: Customs officials at Chennai International Airport have seized approximately 11 kg of hydroponic cannabis, valued at around ₹11 crore, and arrested two passengers from Kerala, according to an official statement.

The seizure was made by the Air Intelligence Unit of the Chennai Customs, acting on specific intelligence inputs. The two passengers were intercepted after arriving on a Scoot Airlines flight from Bangkok via Singapore.

Officials reported that the passengers had made a brief trip to Thailand, returning within 24 hours, which raised suspicion. During questioning, the duo gave conflicting explanations about their travel and the contents of their luggage, leading to a detailed inspection.

The contraband was allegedly concealed inside food packets. The cannabis was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and the passengers were taken into custody.

Hydroponic cannabis is a high-potency variant cultivated without soil. Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the drugs and identify other individuals linked to the smuggling network, customs officials said.

Source: The Hindu

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