Chennai, July 8
In a major drug bust, the Airport Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Tiruchi International Airport has seized 11.8 kilograms of high-grade hydroponic cannabis.
The seizure was made late Monday night. The narcotics, valued at around Rs 12 crore in the illegal market, were found in the baggage of a passenger who had arrived from Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur.
According to airport customs officials, the interception was based on specific intelligence inputs shared by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The AIU officials acted swiftly upon the arrival of the passenger and detained him for detailed screening and baggage inspection.
During the search, officials discovered 28 neatly packed pouches of hydroponic cannabis -- an advanced, soil-free variety of marijuana grown using nutrient-rich water under controlled conditions, making it far more potent than conventional strains.
The packets were ingeniously concealed within personal belongings to evade detection.
Customs officials confirmed that the seized consignment is one of the largest hauls of hydroponic cannabis at Trichy airport in recent times, pointing to a growing trend of synthetic and high-grade drug smuggling through South Indian airports.