Rs 45 cr drugs, gold and diamonds seized at Mumbai airport; 12 held
Mumbai (PTI): Mumbai Customs have seized hydroponic weed, gold and diamonds, collectively valued at Rs 45 crore, that were being smuggled through the airport here and arrested 12 passengers, officials said.
The seizures were made during operations conducted between December 3 and 10 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, they said.
Based on specific information, the Customs personnel apprehended nine passengers and recovered hydroponic weed (marijuana) valued at Rs 37.26 crore from them, an official said on Wednesday.
In some cases, the contraband was hidden inside trolley bags bearing baggage tags of another flight, while in others, the narcotics were concealed inside lumps of tamarind, he said.
All these passengers, who had arrived from Bangkok on various flights, were arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the official said.
In another operation, Customs sleuths recovered 6 kg of suspected hydroponic weed valued at Rs 6 crore from three passengers, who had also arrived from Bangkok, and arrested them, he said.
They also seized gold valued at Rs 1.51 crore from four passengers and diamonds of Rs 87.75 lakh from another person and registered cases on charges of smuggling, the official added.
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Bengaluru airport introduces AI-based system to enhance safety at vehicle-aircraft intersections
Bengaluru: Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has introduced an integrated smart airside safety system at Kempegowda International Airport to improve operational safety at key intersection zones.
According to The Hindu, the system has been designed to enhance safety at Cross Service Roads (CSRs), where aircraft and ground vehicle movements intersect.
According to BIAL, the system integrates AI-based computer vision, automation, and centralised monitoring to manage right-of-way movements and reduce the risk of human error.
“CRSs are among the most sensitive areas within airport operations, requiring precise and seamless coordination between aircraft and ground vehicles. Traditionally, right of way protection at these intersections relied on manual or semi-manual inset light activation, creating dependencies on human intervention, increasing the risk of delays and limiting operational visibility,” TH quoted BIAL as saying.
The new system uses real-time detection of vehicle movement, risk assessment, and automated signalling. AI-enabled cameras identify potential conflicts and trigger automated inset light signals to ensure aircraft priority. Normal operations resume once the area is confirmed clear.
“Based on these detections, the system triggers automated inset light activation to protect aircraft right‑of‑way and restores normal signalling once the intersection is confirmed clear. A centralised monitoring and analytics platform digitally logs all events, strengthening governance, compliance, and operational control,” BIAL said.
By embedding technology into operations, the system creates a data-driven separation layer between aircraft and ground vehicles, significantly reducing human error, especially during night and low-visibility conditions.
“Precision-led signal activation improves traffic flow, minimises unnecessary stoppage and enhances turnaround efficiency. It also establishes a scalable foundation for predictive safety analytics, enabling trend analysis, peak-hour optimisation, compliance mapping and risk forecasting to support continuous improvement and stronger airside governance,” BIAL said.
