Delhi Customs Seize Foreign Currency, Hydroponic Weed and Gold in Three Airport Cases

In one of the incidents, customs officials intercepted a passenger travelling to Dubai to board flight AI-4309 and recovered more than USD 15,000 in currency notes.

·         Three separate smuggling cases were detected by customs officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, on August 17, 2026.

·         USD 15,500 seized: Acting on revenue-intelligence inputs, customs officials intercepted a passenger travelling to Dubai for flight AI-4309.

o    The passenger allegedly concealed USD 15,500, worth approximately ₹14.8 lakh.

o    The currency was hidden in a false bottom of checked baggage and inside a casserole cap.

·         498 grams of hydroponic cannabis recovered: The Air Intelligence Unit searched an IndiGo flight from Bangkok (6E 1064) after it landed in Delhi.

o    Officials found a package containing 498 grams of ganja (hydroponic weed) apparently left behind by a passenger.

o    The substance was handed over for action under the NDPS Act, 1985.

·         523 grams of 24-carat gold seized: In the third case, a passenger travelling from Riyadh to Mumbai on IndiGo flight 6E 315 was intercepted at Terminal 1.

o    X-ray screening detected suspicious images in his checked baggage.

o    Detailed examination uncovered 15 pieces of 24-carat gold, weighing 523 grams.

o    The gold was cleverly concealed inside the solid core of a cookware lid.

·         Investigation continues: The passenger carrying the gold was apprehended, and further investigation is underway in the case.

Key takeaway

Delhi Customs detected three distinct attempts involving undeclared foreign currency, narcotics and concealed gold, demonstrating the use of increasingly sophisticated concealment methods such as false baggage compartments and hollow cookware components.

 

[ABS News Service/20.08.2026]