Latest news with #AirIntelligenceUnit
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Customs arrest airline staff for smuggling gold at Mumbai airport
Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs arrested a ground staff member of SpiceJet airline while he was taking out 3kg of smuggled gold handed over to him by a transit passenger. He is the 30th insider staffer of the airport arrested in the gold smuggling case in the last seven months. On Monday, the AIU arrested an airport catering staff member, Allysis Alvares, for carrying four wax capsules containing 24KT gold dust weighing 1,572 grams, worth Rs 1.39 crore. Last month, the DRI arrested a golf cart operator who aided the gold syndicate in smuggling out 7.5kg of gold worth Rs 6 crore. Based on spot profiling, the AIU of Customs intercepted Ramesh Rao (26), a ground staff member of SpiceJet, who was trying to sneak out of the exit gate of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The officials stopped him, and a thorough examination resulted in the recovery of six oval-shaped pieces containing gold dust cleverly concealed in a customised waist belt. The officials said that upon examination of the seized gold dust, it was found to be 24 carat, weighing 3.2kg, and worth Rs 2.78 crore. Upon confrontation, Rao admitted to carrying the gold dust handed over to him by a transit passenger. Rao also admitted that the gold smuggling syndicate offered him a handsome amount of money, for which he took the risk. Rao, who was arrested under the Customs Act, was produced before the local court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Advocate Prabhakar Tripathi, appearing for the accused, said, "The alleged goods were found unclaimed at the airport premises, and the present accused has been falsely implicated. The arrest is solely based on a so-called submission, and the recovery shown is nothing but a foisted one." Officials are trying to identify the transit passenger who handed over the contraband to Rao. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai 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 s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Man held at Pune airport with hydroponic weed worth Rs 6.1 crore; third Bangkok-linked bust in a month
Pune customs officials arrested Atul Sushil Hiwale at Pune Airport after he arrived on a flight from Bangkok. He was found carrying 6119.15 grams of hydroponic weed, valued at Rs. 6.12 crore in the illicit market, concealed within his check-in trolley bag. PUNE: The Air Intelligence Unit of Pune Customs on Tuesday arrested a man from Pune airport and recovered Hydroponic Weed (high-grade marijuana) worth Rs 6.12 crore in the illicit market. The man, identified as Atul Sushil Hiwale, had landed in Pune from Bangkok on an Air India Express flight. Customs authorities said he was arrested after his behaviour appeared suspicious. The total weight of the weed is 6,119.15 grams, officials said. This is the third case within a month where the drug has been recovered from flyers arriving from Bangkok. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune The drugs were concealed in the check-in trolley bag of the accused. A case under the NDPS Act, 1985 has been registered. The accused has been arrested and produced before the magistrate for judicial custody. Further investigation is underway.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
6kg of hydroponic weed worth Rs 6 crore seized from passenger at Pune airport
In yet another seizure of highly potent hydroponic weed, the Air Intelligence Unit of the customs department on Tuesday intercepted a passenger arriving at the Pune International Airport from Bangkok and seized from him over six kilograms of the contraband worth over Rs 6 crores in the international market. An investigation has been launched into the supply and distribution network of the suspect, who has been arrested. According to the customs department, based on profiling and suspicious behaviour, the officers of the Air Intelligence Unit at the Pune International Airport intercepted one passenger identified as Atul Sushil Hiwale, who landed deboarded from an Air India Express flight on August 5. Narcotics suspected to be hydroponic marijuana weighing 6119.15 grams estimtated to be Rs 6.12 crores concealed in a check-in trolley bag of the accused was seized. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered. The accused was arrested and produced before a magistrate, who sent him to judicial custody. This is not the first time hydropic weed has been seized from Pune. In April this year, the Pune city police arrested a 26-year-old BBA graduate in sales and marketing and seized from him hydroponics weed. Police had seized over 30 grams of marijuana valued at Rs 3 lakh. Police had recovered from him a strain of marijuana called OG Kush, which was grown using the hydroponic technique. In May, the Pune unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted drugs that were allegedly being smuggled by two passengers who arrived at Pune Airport from Bangkok. The DRI sleuths seized hydroponic weed and hashish worth Rs 10.3 crore from the accused passengers and from follow up searches conducted in Mumbai. Officials said multiple seizures of highly potent marijuana grown using hydroponic technique have been reported from across India. In many of these cases, the drugs were smuggled from abroad. Investigators believe that these strain at value multifolds than the regular weed primarily because of reasons tied to its growing method, potency, and perceived quality. Investigators believe that controlled indoor cultivation might be resulting in high potency of the drugs and higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC which leads to stronger psychoactive effects. Officers also believe that higher production cost and perceived notion that this product would be cleaner also results in high price. Officers said sometimes, weed is just touted as a hydroponic strain to get high value. 'Irrespective of how it is produced or perceived, marijuana—like all drugs—poses serious health risks, including potential damage to mental and physical health and carries a high risk of addiction,' said an officer.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Catering staffer at Mumbai airport arrested for smuggling gold worth Rs 1.4 crore
Mumbai: Customs officials on Saturday apprehended an employee of a catering store at the city airport for allegedly smuggling 1.5kg gold dust in wax form worth Rs 1.4 crore. Based on a profiling tip-off, Air Intelligence Unit officers intercepted Alloysius Alvares, who worked with Balaji Caterers, near the departure gate and found the gold. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During interrogation, Alvares reportedly admitted that he was smuggling the gold on behalf of an unidentified passenger, who managed to evade authorities. His statement, recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act, 1962, confirmed his involvement in the possession, concealment, and carriage of smuggled goods. However, Alvares's lawyer, Arun Gupta, argued that Customs have made his client a scapegoat by not arresting the passenger who actually smuggled the gold. Alvares was produced before a local court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
News18
7 days ago
- News18
Foul Smell At Mumbai Airport Leads To Rs 8 Crore Drug Bust, 4 Arrested
Last Updated: When the passengers were collecting their bags and attempted to exit through the green channel, meant for those with nothing to declare, they were intercepted by customs officers A foul odour at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport triggered an unexpected drug bust, leading to the arrest of four passengers who had just landed from an international flight. Authorities say the operation unfolded after a vigilant official from the Air Intelligence Unit detected a suspicious stench near the baggage claim area. According to sources, the four individuals were waiting by the baggage belt after disembarking from their flight when the official, trained to recognise certain narcotics by smell, noticed the unusual odour. He immediately alerted customs personnel stationed near the terminal's green channel. When the passengers proceeded to collect their bags and attempted to exit through the green channel, meant for those with nothing to declare, they were intercepted by customs officers. A detailed examination of their luggage revealed multiple packets of hydroponic weed weighing a total of 8.012 kgs. The estimated street value of the seized contraband is around Rs 8 crore, officials said. All four passengers were arrested on the spot. 'Hydroponic weed," a senior customs official explained, 'is a high-grade variant of cannabis cultivated using specialised techniques. It's significantly more potent and expensive than conventional ganja, making it highly sought after in the black market." The arrests have raised concerns within security agencies about a growing trend of high-grade narcotics being smuggled into India through commercial air travel. Investigators are currently interrogating the suspects to determine whether they were acting independently or are part of a larger international drug syndicate. view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 16:16 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.
