Former Mrs Kerala contestant held with 11kg of hydroponic ganja at Mumbai airport
A former Miss Kerala contestant was arrested in Mumbai with nearly 11kg of hydroponic cannabis worth over £1 million, reportedly found concealed in her luggage after arriving from Bangkok.
A former Miss Kerala contestant was arrested in Mumbai with nearly 11kg of hydroponic cannabis worth over £1 million, reportedly found concealed in her luggage after arriving from Bangkok.
A former Miss Kerala contestant was arrested in Mumbai with nearly 11kg of hydroponic cannabis worth over £1 million, reportedly found concealed in her luggage after arriving from Bangkok.
Wayanad: The Customs Department on Friday arrested a former Mrs Kerala beauty pageant contestant and model at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai for allegedly smuggling around 11 kilograms of high-grade hydroponic cannabis, valued at approximately ₹11.82 crore in the international market.
The accused, identified as Harsha Sunny, 28, is a native of Puthussery near Mananthavady. Harsha was intercepted by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs after arriving from Bangkok. Officials reportedly became suspicious due to her nervous behaviour during routine checks. A personal search was conducted in the presence of a gazetted officer, as mandated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, but no contraband was found on her person.
A detailed examination of her luggage, however, led to the recovery of 12 vacuum-sealed plastic packets concealed at the bottom of a trolley bag. The packets contained a green plant-based substance comprising the flowering and fruiting tops of the cannabis plant. Field testing later confirmed the substance to be hydroponic cannabis.
Initially, Harsha denied any knowledge of the contents of the packets and later claimed that she had been trapped. According to her statement, the luggage had been handed over by an acquaintance who had gained her trust during the trip. Despite her claims, customs officials detained her and carried out a prolonged interrogation while verifying and cross-checking her version.
Following the investigation, she was arrested and produced before a court at the Fort Court Complex in South Mumbai, which remanded her to judicial custody.
Customs officials are probing her travel history, call data records and contacts to determine whether she has links to drug trafficking networks operating on the Bangkok–Mumbai route. Investigators are also probing whether she may have been used as an unwitting carrier by experienced traffickers.