Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs officials have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly smuggling Hydroponic Weed worth Rs 73 lakh from Bangkok.

According to the Customs sources, the officers of AIU on Monday intercepted one passenger Ikbal Mohamed Ibrakim, a resident of Tamil Nadu, on the basis of suspicion that he might be carrying some contraband items, after he arrived at CSMI Airport from Bangkok.

Thereafter, the Customs officers opened the hand bag of the passenger and noticed that the same were filled with various types of chocolates and food items. On further examination at the bottom of the bag, the officer found one plastic packets containing green coloured dry leafy substance. The officers then confronted the passenger Ikbal Mohamed Ibrakim about the contents of the said transparent vacuum sealed packet to which he remained silent.

"On cutting the transparent plastic-like material packets, the packets were found stuffed with greenish coloured dry leafy substance in lumps form having a strong pungent shell. The officer tested the same using Field Testing Kit of NDPS substance which showed positive result for hydroponic weed (Marijuana), a substance covered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," said a Customs official.

The officers then weighed the total greenish coloured dry leafy substance, which resulted into recovery of total net weight 734 grams of greenish coloured dry leafy substance purported to be hydroponic weed valued Rs 73.40 lakh, which was seized on the reasonable belief that it was being smuggled into India.

In his statement given to the Customs officials, Ibrakim admitted that the bag containing contraband was carried by him as checked-in baggage at CSMI Airport, from Bangkok.

"He was aware that smuggling of hydroponic weed (Marijuana) and other illegal drugs into India attracts stringent punishment as per laws prevalent in India. As the investigations in the case are at a very preliminary stage and efforts are also being made to identify and apprehend key associates of the accused," the official said.

"Despite having a small quantity of contraband, my client was arrested by Customs," said advocate Vinayak Shukla who represented the accused.