Customs officials seized about four kilograms of hydroponic ganja worth Rs 1.5 crore at Cochin International Airport on Monday, arresting Shakh Zaved Ali of Hyderabad and Shivpratap Jaysing Sankpal of Kolhapur.
The pair had arrived on a Sri Lankan Airlines flight from Bangkok via Colombo, a route that customs flagged after a routine scan flagged dense green material in Ali’s carry‑on.
Ali reportedly concealed the drug in a hidden compartment of his luggage, while Sankpal allegedly assisted by coordinating the smuggling plan.
The Customs Service said the weed, a hybrid strain cultivated in indoor grow‑houses, was detected during a random inspection that used ultraviolet scanners.
Both men were booked under Section 29 of the Narcotics Control Act, 1985, which carries up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 25 lakh.
The court will convene in Mumbai on the 15th of next month to decide on bail and further proceedings; their families have expressed shock at the sudden arrest.