The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized marijuana worth approximately Rs 4 crore at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The contraband was discovered in the luggage of a couple arriving from Bangkok, following intelligence inputs that led to a targeted inspection.
The duo—a young man and his girlfriend—were detained for interrogation. Officials revealed that the pair had a travel history to Thailand and are suspected to be part of a larger international drug syndicate. The marijuana was concealed in multiple bags and intercepted during routine customs checks.
This marks the third major seizure at the airport in recent weeks. On August 2, ganja worth ₹8 crore was confiscated from a passenger arriving from Thailand, while on July 29, hydroponic marijuana valued at ₹30 crore was recovered from six bags on a Bangkok flight.
Authorities are now probing deeper into the network, aiming to identify collaborators and trace the syndicate’s operations across borders. The investigation is ongoing.
