Bengaluru: Customs officials at Kempegowda International Airport have arrested two passengers in separate incidents for allegedly attempting to smuggle hydroponic ganja valued at more than ₹2 crore.
The seizures were made during routine checks on international arrivals over the past two days, officials said on Monday.
In the first incident on February 7, a passenger arriving from Bangkok was intercepted by Bengaluru Customs officers.
A detailed inspection of the baggage led to the recovery of 1.8 kilograms of hydroponic ganja, estimated to be worth ₹63 lakh.
Officials said the contraband was cleverly hidden inside a false-bottom suitcase to evade detection.
In a separate case on February 6, customs officers intercepted another passenger who had arrived from Hong Kong.
During the examination of the checked-in baggage, officials recovered 5.05 kilograms of hydroponic ganja valued at approximately ₹1.76 crore.
The seizure was made following suspicious baggage profiling, the officials said.
Both incidents were confirmed through an official post shared by customs authorities on social media platform X.
The accused passengers were taken into custody immediately after the recovery of the contraband.
Customs officials said both individuals have been arrested under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Further investigation is underway to determine the source of the drugs and possible links to international trafficking networks.