Officers of the Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai Customs Zone–III, detected multiple smuggling cases during duty operations conducted between May 7 and May 8, 2026, leading to the seizure of foreign currency and suspected narcotic substances collectively valued at over ₹20 crore.
According to a press note issued by Customs officials, the cases were detected on the basis of APIS profiling and specific intelligence inputs at Mumbai airport.
In one case, Customs officers recovered foreign currency worth USD 1,00,000, equivalent to approximately ₹93.45 lakh, from a passenger who had arrived from Jamnagar and was scheduled to depart for Dubai on an Indigo Airlines flight numbered 6E-1453. Officials said the passenger was intercepted during profiling checks.
In another major seizure, officers recovered 17.915 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed, a prohibited narcotic substance under NDPS laws, from a passenger arriving from Bangkok on Thai Airways flight TG317. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth around ₹17.91 crore in the illicit market.
Acting on specific intelligence, Customs officials also booked another case involving the seizure of 1.900 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed valued at nearly ₹1.90 crore. The narcotics were allegedly recovered from two passengers who had arrived from Bangkok on Air India flight AI2353.
Further investigation is underway in all the cases, officials said.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
