October 14, Colombo (LNW): Indian anti-narcotics officials have intercepted a large consignment of illegal drugs believed to have been trafficked from Colombo to Bengaluru, seizing narcotics valued at approximately Rs. 500 million.
The operation, led by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), has resulted in the arrest of three individuals, including a Sri Lankan national suspected to be a key figure in the trafficking network.
According to reports from Indian media, the NCB seized 45.4 kilogrammes of high-grade hydroponic cannabis—commonly referred to as hydro cannabis—and 6 kilogrammes of psilocybin mushrooms, a hallucinogenic substance categorised as a controlled psychedelic drug in many jurisdictions.
The investigation was triggered by intelligence pointing to the smuggling of hydroponic cannabis from Thailand to Bengaluru via transit routes, including Colombo. Acting on this tip-off, NCB officers ramped up security checks at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
On October 09, two passengers arriving from Colombo were detained after their luggage was found to contain 31.4 kilogrammes of hydro cannabis and 4 kilogrammes of psilocybin mushrooms. The narcotics were meticulously concealed in approximately 250 sealed food tins, a method designed to evade routine inspections.
Information extracted during the interrogation of the initial suspects led authorities to a third individual, identified as a Sri Lankan national believed to have played a coordinating role in the operation. He too had arrived via a flight from Colombo and was apprehended carrying an additional 14 kilogrammes of hydro cannabis and 2 kilogrammes of psilocybin mushrooms.
Investigators say the arrests mark a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle international drug smuggling networks operating through South Asia. Authorities are now working to determine the full extent of the operation, including any connections to regional or transnational drug cartels.
The NCB has reiterated its commitment to intensifying surveillance at key transit points and has urged greater cross-border cooperation in tackling the growing challenge of synthetic and hydroponic drug trafficking across the region.
