The hydro ganja seized by the Bengaluru police.
Credit: BCP
Bengaluru: In a major lapse, a Bengaluru couple managed to evade customs and airport authorities, allegedly smuggling 18.5 kg of concealed hydroponic ganja from Thailand into the city before being caught by police.
The seized drugs are worth an estimated Rs 18.60 crore. The arrested individuals are Saifuddin Sheikh, 34, a mechanic from Kamanahalli, and his wife, Sara Simran, 26, police said.
Investigators suspect that the couple worked as drug mules for a larger syndicate.
Police said they received a tip-off on November 30 that two individuals were moving near the Rani Abbakka Play Ground in Mahalakshmi Layout with large quantities of narcotics.
A police team rushed there and detained Sheikh and his wife, Sara, who were allegedly at the spot to hand over the contraband to a receiver.
To their shock, police found 18.590 kg of hydroponic ganja in their possession, wrapped inside large bags.
Mary Shylaja, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Malleswaram sub-division (in-charge), oversaw the investigation.
"The bags had an average weight of 2 kg. The couple had no criminal antecedents, which is likely why they were chosen as mules,” a police investigator told DH.
Investigations revealed that the couple travelled from Bangkok to Bengaluru, possessing a large quantity of narcotics. Police suspect they were on a tourist visa.
"The drugs were concealed with food packaging wrappers. Shockingly, they were able to pass through customs and airport security with such a large quantity of narcotics,” a senior officer said.
When DH asked how the suspects evaded customs, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said that “it has to be verified” during the investigation.
"Specific inputs have been received on the others involved," he added.
The Mahalakshmi Layout police have registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. A court on December 1 sent the couple to police custody for 10 days. Further investigations are underway.
Other seizures
In other seizures, RMC Yard, RT Nagar, JC Nagar and Malleswaram police arrested eight people, including a foreigner, and recovered banned ganja and MDMA worth an estimated Rs 15.90 lakh.