Goa police has arrested a man carrying hydroponic weed worth ₹11.67 crore, a feat that is being hailed as the state’s biggest-ever drug seizure. The man was arrested in Guirim village, situated between Panaji and Mapusa, with 11.672 kgs of the banned drug.
A police spokesperson confirmed the arrest and the massive drug haul, stating, “We seized 11.672 kilograms of hydroponic weed worth ₹11.67 crore from him. This is the biggest seizure of drugs in Goa’s history. He has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.”
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant lauded the efforts of law enforcement in tackling drug-related crimes. “Congratulations to the Crime Branch Goa Police for Goa’s biggest-ever drug bust! This is a testament to the relentless efforts of our law enforcement agencies in keeping our state drug-free,” he said.
He further reiterated the Goa government’s commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on drugs, vowing to strengthen intelligence networks and surveillance to crack down on such illegal activities.
Hydroponics is a modern cultivation technique that allows plants to grow without soil in a controlled artificial environment using water-based mineral nutrient solutions. The technique is often misused for the production of high-grade cannabis.
The arrest in Guirim follows a month-long intelligence operation conducted by the Crime Branch. Authorities continue to investigate the case to determine whether the accused has links to larger drug syndicates.
Punjab drug smugglers caught
In a separate operation, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested two drug smugglers near the Amritsar border. Acting on intelligence, authorities set up an ambush and intercepted two individuals on motorcycles at around 2.20 pm. While one smuggler was captured after a brief chase, the other managed to flee the scene.
Officials recovered a packet of suspected heroin weighing 506 grams, a smartphone, three ATM cards, and a motorcycle from the arrested smuggler. The heroin packet was wrapped in yellow adhesive tape and had a steel ring attached to it, suggesting that the consignment was dropped by a Pakistani drone.
The captured smuggler, identified as a resident of Saidpur Village in Amritsar, was taken into custody. Following his interrogation, authorities tracked and arrested the second smuggler in Avan Basu village at around 3.30 pm.
Both individuals remain in police custody as investigators probe their connections to Pakistan-based narcotics networks.