In the first quarter of the 2026–27 financial year alone, 54 people—53 Indian nationals and 1 foreign national—were arrested at the Kolkata airport as authorities cracked down on massive drug smuggling networks.
As per data available with The Indian Express, from April to June, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) under the Office of the Commissioner of Customs (Airport and Air Cargo Complex Commissionerate) registered 58 individual cases and seized a staggering 396.745 kilograms of ganja. This high-volume recovery points to an aggressive, intelligence-led enforcement drive aimed at shutting down key international drug transit routes operating through the region.
Investigation into these smuggling operations revealed that the vast majority of the intercepted narcotics originated in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, with secondary streams arriving on international flights from Phuket, also in Thailand, Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, and Singapore.
As per officials, the quarter saw a rapid, month-over-month surge in both detections and intercepts. The trend began in April 2026 with 10 cases logged, resulting in 10 arrests of Indian nationals and the recovery of 37,811 grams (roughly 37.8 kg) of ganja.
By May, operations accelerated as cases more than doubled to 23, yielding 168,175 grams (around 168.2 kg) of seized contraband and leading to 19 arrests, of which18 were Indian nationals and 1 was a foreign national.
Enforcement reached its peak in June 2026 with 25 distinct cases registered, an interception of 190,759 grams (nearly 190.8 kg) of ganja, and the arrest of 25 Indian nationals. Across all three months, official preliminary financial valuations remained documented at zero pending formal market assessments.
The illicit cargo was split across both checked luggage and hand baggage, officials said. Smugglers used sophisticated concealments to mask the contraband during transit and obscure it from standard X-ray screening or physical Customs checks, they added.
“We have uncovered ganja hidden inside commercial chocolate packets and wrapped sweet containers, built directly into the hollow inner side-walls and lining of trolley bags, packed in multi-layered plastic and vacuum-sealed airtight pouches, and layered between ordinary personal belongings,” said an official.
To defeat these complex concealment techniques, Customs officials said they rely on real-time actionable intelligence, scientific passenger profiling, advanced risk assessment matrices, and continuous physical surveillance.
Beyond analytical methods, teams at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport operate alongside eight dedicated, highly trained K-9 sniffer dog units on the floor, who play a major role in pinpointing hidden organic substances inside tightly sealed baggage.
As per officials, Kolkata Customs has expanded public prevention efforts by placing dedicated awareness standees throughout airport passenger areas. These displays educate travellers on the severe legal penalties surrounding drug trafficking, emphasise full compliance with narcotics laws, and underline the department’s firm stance on keeping international flight paths secure while encouraging travellers to share credible tips on illegal operations.