DRI dismantles hydroponic weed syndicate, seizes 72 kg of drug

BENGALURU: In a pan-India operation code named WeedOut, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Bengaluru, Indore and New Delhi this week dismantled a syndicate involved in smuggling of hydroponic weed into the country, and seized 72.024 kg of the contraband drug worth around Rs 72 crore in the grey market, along with illegal proceeds of Rs 1.02 crore under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. On August 20, in a coordinated effort, DRI officials intercepted suspect passengers at Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway Station, Bengaluru, and Bhopal Junction and seized hydroponic weed. Search of baggage of two passengers, who had just boarded the KSR-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (22691) at Bengaluru, led to the recovery of 29.88 kg of hydroponic weed. In a coordinated action, 24.186 kg of the banned drug was recovered at Bhopal Junction from two passengers who had boarded Rajdhani Express at Bengaluru on August 19, said sources. Meanwhile, the associate mastermind of the syndicate was traced in New Delhi and proceeds of drug trafficking amounting to Rs 1.02 crore was recovered from his possession, they added. In a swift follow-up, a passenger who had arrived in Bengaluru from Thailand on August 20 was intercepted in the early hours of August 21 at a hotel in the city, which led to the recovery of another 17.958 kg of hydroponic weed. The associate mastermind and all five passengers involved were arrested. The syndicate used to reach out to college dropouts, part-time employed or unemployed youth via social media, said sources. Hydroponic weed or marijuana is grown using hydroponic methods in a controlled environment, with water and nutrients instead of soil. It has a higher tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content than traditional weed. THC can cause changes in mood, thoughts, and perceptions of reality. Of late, hydroponic weed, which is largely smuggled from Thailand, is increasingly gaining traction among youth, including students and young professionals, in India.