A Malaysian national has been arrested by Indian authorities after allegedly attempting to smuggle 4.033kg of high-grade hydroponic cannabis through Chennai International Airport, India.
The suspect was detained by officers from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Chennai Customs after arriving from Bangkok on Friday night. The arrest was reportedly made based on passenger profiling.
Authorities said the suspect allegedly attempted to leave the airport through the Green Channel without declaring any items to customs.
However, an X-ray scan of the suspect’s checked luggage detected suspicious images, prompting officers to conduct a detailed inspection of the bag.
The inspection uncovered four packages containing a greenish, solid substance with a strong and pungent smell. The packages were allegedly concealed in a compartment at the bottom of the luggage.
The substance had a net weight of 4,033 grammes and tested positive for cannabis, also known as marijuana, using a narcotics detection kit.
Chennai Customs subsequently seized the suspected drugs under Section 43(a) of India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985.
The Malaysian suspect was arrested and brought before a court before being remanded in judicial custody.
Indian authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the origin of the drugs and identify any other individuals or networks that may have been involved in the alleged attempt to smuggle the prohibited substance into the country.
