In a significant crackdown on international drug trafficking, officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 3.2 kg of high-value hydroponic weed, estimated at ₹3 crore, from a suspicious passenger at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport today.
The accused, a youth from Kerala, was detained after arriving on a flight from Bangkok, where he had concealed the contraband in his luggage.
According to DRI sources, the accused was intercepted during routine luggage screening and confessed to planning to transport the seized marijuana by road back to Kerala for distribution.
This bust highlights the growing use of Bhubaneswar as a transit hub for narcotics smuggling into India, with authorities on high alert following similar incidents earlier this year.
This marks the third major seizure at the airport in 2025 alone. In July, DRI officials nabbed three Uttar Pradesh residents with 50 kg of hydroponic weed worth over ₹30 crore, also arriving from Bangkok.
Back in January, another Kerala native was arrested with hydroponic weed valued at ₹7 crore. Investigations into the accused’s network are underway, with the accused remanded for further questioning.
The operation underscores DRI’s intensified surveillance at international gateways, aiming to dismantle cross-border drug syndicates. More details are expected as the probe deepens.
