In a major drug bust at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, authorities seized more than 50 crore rupees worth of illicit drugs after arresting three people, one of whom was a Sri Lankan national. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said the operation took place on Thursday, Oct. 9 and was part of a long‑running intelligence effort targeting a cartel that brings hydroponic ganja from Thailand.
The seized cargo included 45.4 kg of Hydro Ganja and 6 kg of psilocybin mushrooms. Earlier, the NCB had intercepted two travelers on a flight from Colombo who were carrying 31.4 kg of Hydro Ganja and 4 kg of mushrooms. Subsequent questioning linked those smugglers to a Sri Lankan handler. That handler was then caught on a later flight with an additional 14 kg of Hydro Ganja and 2 kg of mushrooms.
Police recovered the drugs from about 250 vacuum‑sealed food tins, a scheme designed to mask the strong odor and fool airport scanners. Investigators say the cartel uses tightly controlled cultivation, producing up to 25 % THC—substantially higher than India’s 5 % average. The high potency makes the drug a sought‑after party drug, and smugglers often route shipments via third‑country hubs such as Dubai, Colombo, or Kathmandu to avoid tight scrutiny on direct flights from Bangkok.
The NCB Bengaluru unit has already seized 220 kg of Hydro Ganja in 18 cases this year, recovering hundreds of crores in drug value and arresting 45 suspects from states including Kerala, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
“This seizure demonstrates the NCB’s commitment to shutting down transnational and interstate drug networks and achieving a drug‑free India,” the agency stated. The continued crackdown is part of a broader effort to disrupt lucrative hydroponic ganja trafficking, which can fetch up to 80 lakh rupees per kilogram on the retail market.
Source: ianslive
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