Ahmedabad: Customs officials at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Monday arrested a man carrying 8.9 kg of hydroponic marijuana. The male passenger, a resident of Mumbai, had arrived from Bangkok, officials from Ahmedabad customs’ Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) said.‘An inspection of his check-in baggage led to the recovery of a green-coloured substance concealed in 14 airtight plastic packets hidden between clothes. In the preliminary test done using the NDPS field-testing kit, the substance tested positive for ganja (marijuana),’ a statement said.Officials said the contraband was seized and the man arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.An official said, “The number of cases where carriers do not have a past smuggling record has increased in the past few months. Some agree to carry the contraband for money or even a free trip.” Sources said that the quantity seized over time shows the popularity of hydroponic marijuana, which is grown in controlled environments for high potency. It is also sold at a price higher than conventional marijuana.
