Customs officials arrest 3 men, 2 women at Mumbai airport for smuggling weed worth Rs 30 crore from Bangkok
Sources in the customs department said that based on reliable inputs, Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officials nabbed Saat Rasta area resident Laxman Mhadik and Nalasopara resident Harsha Chheda and seized hydroponic weed from them on Wednesday. A total of 11,808 gram of weed worth Rs 11.8 crore was seized from Mhadik and Chheda.
In the second case, AIU officials intercepted Byculla residents Noor Bilakhia and Afrin Bilakhia during passenger profiling. They were found concealing nearly 12 kilogram of hydroponic weed worth around Rs 12 crore in their trolley bag.
Customs officials also caught Trombay resident Mohammed Shaikh. Examination of Shaikh's luggage led to the seizure of hydroponic weed worth Rs 5.90 crore.
The inquiry of suspects revealed that they were aware of the smuggling of narcotics and were offered hefty commissions by their handlers. Customs officials are trying to extract information on their handlers and also about the local contacts in Mumbai who were supposed to accept the deliveries of the smuggled contraband from them, a customs source said.
The arrested suspects face serious charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, as commercial quantities of drugs have been seized from them.
As per the Customs department, 1,000 gram of cannabis (weed) is specified as a small quantity, and any amount above it is considered a commercial quantity.
If proven guilty, they may attract 20 years of imprisonment, said another customs source.
Hydroponic weed refers to cannabis grown without the use of soil.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
19 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Smart Meter tender probe against K J George: Karnataka High Court extends interim order
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday extended till August 28, the interim order of stay on the proceedings before the special court in a complaint against state energy minister K J George and officials of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom). Justice M I Arun adjourned the hearing by a private complaint was filed by three BJP legislators against George, Mahantesh Bilagi, former Managing director of Bescom (presently MD of Karnataka State Minerals Development Corporation) and HJ Ramesh, Director (Technical), Bescom alleging irregularities in the issuance of a tender for procuring and installing smart electric meters across the petitioners have sought quashing of the private complaint before the special court for MPs/MLAs in a complaint filed on July 17, 2025. The petitioners further sought quashing of the order passed by the special court on July 23, directing the superintendent of police, Lokayukta, to file his report by the next hearing date under Section 175(4) of the polls: BRS will extend support to candidate who supplies urea to Telangana farmers, says KT Rama Rao .The complaint, filed by C N Ashwath Narayan (Malleshwaram MLA), S R Vishwanath (Yelahanka MLA) and D Muniraj (Doddaballapur MLA), alleged offences under sections 314, 316 and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 13(1)(a) and 13(1) (b) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act. The complaint alleged loss to the public exchequer in the tender proceedings for the procurement of smart meters. The complainants said this act of the accused persons has caused wrongful gain to the contractor – Rajashree Electricals.
News18
29 minutes ago
- News18
Hyderabad: Man loses over Rs 12.75 lakh in house rental cyber fraud
Agency: Hyderabad, Aug 20 (PTI) A 28-year-old resident of Banjara Hills lost more than Rs 12.75 lakh after falling victim to a house rental fraud, in which cybercriminals allegedly posed as National Security Guard personnel, police said on Wednesday. The victim had posted an advertisement for his flat on a real estate portal on August 13 and was contacted the same day by a man claiming to be an NSG commando from West Bengal, stating he was being transferred to Hyderabad. To appear genuine, the fraudster shared fake identification documents and expressed interest in renting the flat, according to a release from Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police. Later, another man, posing as the commando's senior officer, promised to pay an advance rent of Rs 80,000. Citing a 'special security protocol" reportedly introduced after the Pulwama terror attack, the fraudsters convinced the victim to make multiple Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) and UPI transfers, claiming it was necessary to 'raise a demand" for releasing the advance payment. Trusting 'the assurances", the victim made multiple transactions, losing Rs 12,75,711 before realising it was a scam. He immediately reported the incident to the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930). A case has been registered. They gain victims' trust by sending forged ID cards or service documents and claiming transfers to new cities. Using the pretext of 'special defence security protocols," they instruct victims to make IMPS or UPI transfers, promising the amount will be refunded along with advance rent. In reality, these are fraudulent transactions, resulting in losses of lakhs of rupees, the release added. PTI VVK VVK SSK view comments First Published: August 20, 2025, 22:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Karjat Riverbed Mining Under Scrutiny After Complaints of Illegal Blasting
Navi Mumbai: In response to complaints and a TOI report about the illegal blasting of riverbanks and hillsides in Karjat taluka, the Raigad district administration has assured that authorities will prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Following a TOI report on May 12 this year, environmental watchdog NatConnect Foundation wrote to the Chief Minister regarding a series of illegal uses of explosives, including crude bombs and gelatine sticks, in rural areas of Karjat taluka for extracting earth and rocks from riverbanks and hillsides. Local residents stated that a complaint against illegal quarrying in the Bhaktawadi and Shingdol-Ambivali areas by a resident led to retaliatory actions. NatConnect Director B N Kumar informed the Chief Minister, citing a media report. Quarry operators detonated two bombs near the complainant's residence, shaking windows. Environmentalists warned that such illegal activities could also damage biodiversity. "The Chief Minister's office referred the issue to the Raigad collector, and NatConnect followed up seeking information via the Right To Action (RTI) Act route on actions taken on the Chief Minister's mail. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Malaysians don't know about this! iOS Credit Read More Undo The collector's office instructed the Karjat tahsildar to investigate. Dhananjay Jadhav, the tahsildar and executive magistrate, responded to NatConnect stating that his officials inspected the river site, which was filled with water," said Kumar. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Gold Rates Today in Mumbai | Silver Rates Today in Mumbai "Since the monsoon has set in and the river is full of water, one could not notice any blasts," Jadhav informed and assured that the administration would take action against culprits if the mining is detected. According to a local activist, members of two local communities are primarily responsible for using explosives and heavy machinery to extract stones and rocks from these areas. Illegal activities have resulted in the felling of mature trees to create access paths for JCBs to reach riverbanks for unlawful soil excavation. Residents say the continuous blasts have adversely impacted the water level and quality in the river. The complaints say that water flows into the holes created by the blasts. It is also environmentally unsound to keep blasting the riverbanks' bottoms, said an activist. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
