New Delhi

Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport have seized more than 24 kg of suspected marijuana valued at over Rs 24 crore in three separate cases involving passengers arriving from Bangkok, officials said on Thursday.

In the largest seizure, customs authorities intercepted an Uzbek national who arrived from Bangkok on May 4 after receiving specific intelligence inputs.

According to officials, the passenger was taken aside from the international transit area for detailed screening, during which 12 polythene packets containing suspected marijuana were found concealed inside a sea-green trolley bag.

The recovered contraband weighed 18.003 kg and is estimated to be worth nearly Rs 18 crore in the illegal market. The passenger was arrested on May 5 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

In another case, an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok on May 6 was stopped at the Green Channel based on profiling inputs. During X-ray and baggage checks, officials recovered 11 packets containing a green narcotic substance from a black trolley bag.

The seized material weighed 5.467 kg and was estimated to be worth around Rs 5.46 crore. The passenger was subsequently arrested under the NDPS Act.

In the third incident, customs officials intercepted another Indian passenger arriving at Terminal-3 from Bangkok on May 3.

A search of the passenger’s luggage led to the recovery of four packets containing suspected marijuana weighing 977 grams. Officials said the seized substance had an estimated illicit market value of about Rs 97.77 lakh.

Field tests confirmed the substance as marijuana, and the passenger was arrested under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act.

READ MORE: West Bengal Polls: BJP makes dent in TMC stronghold of Muslim-majority districts

Further investigations are underway in all three cases.