Bengaluru’s airport just sealed a big drug bust that could ripple across India’s drug‑trafficking network.
Three people were taken into custody at Kempegowda International Airport on Thursday. One of the suspects is a Sri Lankan national. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) says the raid uncovered 45.4 kg of Hydro Ganja (synthetic cannabis) and 6 kg of psilocybin mushrooms – drugs worth about Rs 50 crore.
The NCB has been tracking a cartel that smuggles high‑potency Hydro Ganja from Thailand. Earlier this month, the agency intercepted two travelers arriving from Colombo. Those flights carried 31.4 kg of Hydro Ganja and 4 kg of psilocybin mushrooms. Questioning the passengers revealed a Sri Lankan handler who flew in on another flight – this time the agency stopped him and seized another 14 kg of Hydro Ganja and 2 kg of psilocybin mushrooms.
The illegal drugs were hidden in roughly 250 vacuum‑sealed food tins. The tins were carefully packaged to avoid smell and bypass airport scanners. As the NCB digs deeper, it hopes to identify and arrest more members of the syndicate.
The Bengaluru Zonal Unit said this operation shows its commitment to shutting down transnational and interstate drug networks and moving toward a drug‑free India.
Over the past year, the NCB in Bengaluru has seized more than 220 kg of Hydro Ganja in 18 cases alone and has taken in 45 suspects from states such as Kerala, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Hydro Ganja can fetch up to Rs 80 lakhs per kilogram on the street, making it a lucrative crime for traffickers.
“The plant’s controlled‑environment cultivation gives it up to 25 % THC, compared with 5 % in locally grown cannabis,” the NCB explained. “Its potency turns it into a premium party drug, and many young people are tempted to become mules, ferrying this contraband from Thailand."
Routes usually move through third countries like Dubai, Colombo or Kathmandu, before reaching India, because direct flights from Bangkok trigger extra airport scrutiny. The NCB remains on the lookout for more smugglers, promising to keep tightening the net around synthetic cannabis and other illegal drugs.
Source: ianslive
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