Jaipur: The directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) Thursday busted an international narcotics smuggling racket and seized a huge consignment of hydroponic weed at the Jaipur International Airport.A passenger was arrested for illegal possession of 17.6kg of hydroponic weed (ganja) worth Rs 6.5 crore. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officials intercepted the passenger who arrived from Abu Dhabi.According to sources, the passenger, identified as Syed Abdul Gaffar, arrived on Etihad Airways flight EY328 in the morning. “During a detailed examination of his baggage, officers recovered the hydroponic weed concealed inside a trolley bag. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth nearly Rs 6.5 crore in the international market,” said a DRI source.Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused is a resident of Hyderabad and suspected to be a key courier linked to an organised international drug smuggling syndicate.Officials believe the consignment was trafficked from Bangkok, brought to Abu Dhabi, and then to Jaipur using air routes.He was arrested under various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. “He was produced before the court and sent to jail,” said an officer.The seizure is a significant success in the agency’s ongoing crackdown on international drug syndicates operating through Indian airports, senior DRI officials said.Investigators are now probing the backward and forward linkages of the racket to identify handlers, financiers, and end-receivers both in India and abroad.
