**Customs and Police Seize Drugs Worth Crores in Multiple Operations**
A senior officer from the customs department reported that intelligence led to the interception of a passenger found in possession of a crystal-like substance in his checked-in baggage. A field test confirmed the substance as methaqualone, with an estimated market value of Rs 2.61 crore in the illicit trade. The accused has been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
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**Hashish Worth Rs 1.1 Crore Seized in Thane District**
In a separate case, a 29-year-old man was arrested for allegedly possessing more than 1 kg of hashish valued at Rs 1.1 crore in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotics squad set up a trap along the Shilphata-Mumbra Road on September 14 and intercepted the accused, identified as Masud Badbuddin Ainarkar, according to senior inspector Rahul Maske.
Ainarkar, a native of Ratnagiri, was found with the contraband, which is believed to have been intended for sale. A case has been registered against him under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act. He has been remanded in police custody until September 23.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the hashish may have been smuggled from abroad. Authorities are interrogating the accused to determine the source and the intended distribution network.
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**Mumbai Customs Seizes Hydroponic Weed Worth Rs 20 Crore at Airport**
Meanwhile, Mumbai Customs seized hydroponic weed valued at Rs 20 crore along with foreign currency worth Rs 26.37 lakh in three separate cases at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), an official said on Friday.
The seizures and arrests took place during the night between Wednesday and Thursday. In the first case, a passenger traveling from Mumbai to Bangkok was intercepted, and concealed foreign currency was recovered from his checked-in trolley bag.
In the other two cases, the baggage of two passengers arriving from Bangkok was searched, leading to the seizure of hydroponic weed—a form of marijuana—worth approximately Rs 20.062 crore. The first passenger was found with 9.98 kg of hydroponic weed, while the second had 10.08 kg of the narcotic substance.
Both passengers have been arrested under the NDPS Act, the official confirmed.
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These ongoing operations underscore the vigilance of Indian customs and police authorities in curbing drug trafficking and related crimes across the country.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/passenger-held-with-methaqualone-worth-rs-2-61-cr-at-pune-airport-23594952