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Smuggling in India Report 2024-25 30

d. Hydroponic Weed

Hydroponic weed, grown using a water-based, and nutrient-rich solution, allows
precise management of pH, nutrients, and water. This method often yields higher
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels and better quality than traditional cultivation,
making it increasingly popular and in high demand. It is emerging as a major new
narcotics threat for India. Policy changes permitting the cultivation and sale of this
form of cannabis in Thailand have increased accessibility, creating new opportu-
nities for traffickers. This has led to rising instances of hydroponic weed being
smuggled into India through airports and courier routes. With declining profits in
gold smuggling, many traffickers have shifted to narcotics, leveraging their exist-
ing networks in Thailand and neighbouring countries.

In FY 2024–25, various formations of the CBIC made 33 seizures involving the
smuggling of nearly 150 kg of hydroponic weed, with the DRI accounting for 10
of these seizures involving 47 kg of hydroponic weed. Most cases involved smug-
gling from Bangkok to various Indian airports, following a common modus ope-
randi: vacuum-sealed packets of hydroponic weed concealed in food items like
wafers and corn flakes, and in clothes.

Case 9: 9.18 kg hydroponic weed seized from pas-
sengers at Ahmedabad airport

In December 2024, 9.18 kg of hydroponic weed
concealed in bags and food packets carried by pas-
sengers arriving from Bangkok to Ahmedabad was
seized.

e. Methamphetamine

India has increasingly emerged as both a destination and a transit hub for meth-
amphetamine smuggling, owing to its strategic location, porous borders, and rising
domestic demand. The surge in trafficking is largely attributed to global drug car-
tels exploiting India’s proximity to the "Golden Triangle", comprising Myanmar,
Laos, and Thailand, a well-known center for illicit methamphetamine production.
The North East region, particularly the Indo-Myanmar border, serves as a major
entry point for such psychoactive substances. Reflecting this trend, methamphet-
amine seizures in India have risen significantly.

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