Harsh Sunny, 28, was arrested by customs officials at Mumbai International Airport after customs officers found cannabis worth ₹12 crore in his luggage.
According to customs officials, Harsh Sunny arrived in Mumbai from Bangkok on June 10 late at night. When he arrived, airport officials became suspicious of his luggage during the routine screening and inspection process.
In the inspection, officials found 12 vacuum-sealed packets in a trolley bag. First NDPS field testing of the packets showed that the packets contained cannabis (ganja), which is a controlled narcotic substance in India.
The value of the seized contraband was estimated to be about ₹12 crore in the illegal drug market. Customs officials immediately detained Harsh Sunny and commenced legal proceedings under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The amount of smuggled cargo recovered from the luggage was significant, and investigators believe it was the result of a large-scale smuggling operation. Investigators are examining whether the accused was acting independently or in concert with a larger international drug trafficking network.
Harsh Sunny was taken to court and remanded to judicial custody after his arrest. The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement agencies are trying to trace the origins of the drugs as well as the suspects involved in the smuggling attempt.
But the model has denied any knowledge of the drugs in the bag, investigators say. He had travelled to Bangkok for an event, and he was handed the trolley bag by an individual there, he said.
Harsh Sunny claimed he was asked to carry the bag to India as a favour and was unaware that it contained narcotics or any other illegal material. He said he did not intend to carry drugs and knew nothing about the contents of the luggage.
The claim has become a crucial part of the investigation as authorities try to verify his version of events. Evidence is being brought forward to determine whether the accused was knowingly involved in the transportation of the contraband.
Legal experts have said that under the NDPS Act, commercial quantities of narcotics are treated with utmost seriousness and the task of proving innocence can be particularly difficult. People convicted of trafficking or possessing commercial quantities of prohibited substances can face heavy prison sentences and can be punished severely.
The case has again raised questions about international drug smuggling routes linking Southeast Asia and India. Airports are on constant alert as customs authorities try to catch drugs that are coming into the country by air.
There is more to come out as more people are questioned and drug traffickers are sought out on a large scale across borders.
