Hydro Ganja’ Crisis Escalates: CM Flags Major Threat as Seizures Surge in 2025
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis highlights challenges of hydroponic ganja trafficking, arrests made, and calls for tighter controls on postal services and pharmacies
MUMBAI: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said ‘hydro ganja’ or hydroponic ganja (marijuana) is a big challenge as drug syndicates have found new ways to transport it across borders, while some countries have legalised it.
Speaking in the legislative council on Thursday, Fadnavis said, five days ago, two Indonesian nationals were arrested with 21kg of hydroponic ganja valued at ₹21.55 crore in Mumbai

Hydroponic ganja refers to cannabis plants grown without soil. This method gives growers precise control over the plant’s environment, which can result in quicker growth and higher yields.
While the drug is being sold on the dark web, dealers are also shipping it via courier services, and concealing it in cargo consignments coming in via the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and ports in Gujarat. Even terminal cancer patients are being used as drug carriers, he said.
Fadnavis said police have instructed all postal and courier companies to closely inspect consignments, to avoid being named as accused in case of a lapse. Joint task forces will monitor social media and the dark net.
Fadnavis said the FDA could play a big role in controlling the drug. “In rural areas, Codeine is consumed. We have instructed all pharmacies to install CCTVs. Also, the drug must be sold only against prescriptions,’’ he said.
Highlighting the role of social media in trafficking hydro ganja, the chief minister said messages are exchanged to sell the substance and to make payments. “Our cyber cell has pinpointed 15 places on the dark web and arrested people.”
Fadnavis also shared details on drug kingpin Naveen Chichkar, who was deported from Malaysia to India in May. He said Chichkar, who had bought an island in Australia, had sent drugs from Thailand to India via courier.
Hydro ganja, also known as hydroponic cannabis or hydroponic weed, refers to cannabis plants cultivated using water-based nutrient solutions rather than soil. This controlled indoor environment allows growers to optimize light, temperature, humidity, and nutrients, yielding faster growth cycles and significantly higher THC potency—sometimes reaching 30–40% THC, compared to 3–4% in conventional cannabis
Though domestic law treats hydro ganja the same as regular cannabis under the NDPS Act, enforcement is complicated by its sophistication: packed in food containers or vacuum‑sealed bags, trafficked via air travelers, and fetching astronomical prices—₹80 lakh to ₹1 crore per kilogram on the international market
Earlier this year, the CM described hydro ganja as a “major challenge” in light of mounting seizures and a surge in trafficking through key transit hubs like airports and major cities. The warning underscores several alarming trends:
- Scale-up of hydro cultivation and trafficking nationwide.
- High price and potency encouraging criminal syndicates, with profits surpassing traditional contraband like gold and heroin.
- A widening criminal network employing air passengers, domestic drug lanes, and dark‑web logistics.
This alert signals a shift in India’s drug landscape: from traditional plant cultivation to high-tech, high-reward hydroponic operations.
Mumbai Airport (June 19, 2025): Customs seized hydroponic weed worth ₹25 crore; three individuals arrested
Oshiwara, Mumbai (June 29, 2025): Police arrested two Indonesian nationals with 21 kg hydro ganja valued at ₹21 crore
Chennai Airport, January 2025: Officials intercepted hydro ganja smuggled from Thailand, worth ₹23.5 crore, hidden in soft‑drink powder
Bengaluru: Engineer-turned-peddler held with 3.5 kg worth ₹4 crore; sold via WhatsApp to IT professionals at ₹12,000/gram
Mangaluru: CCB seized 738 g worth ₹73 lakh from a Kerala-origin trafficker
Navi Mumbai (May 2025): Police caught a 23‑year‑old with hydro ganja worth ₹2.78 lakh in his vehicle
The rapid rise of hydro ganja is displacing traditional smuggling. In Kerala, a DRI official noted that post‑gold duty cuts, gold smuggling has dropped dramatically, while 90 kg of hybrid/hydro ganja was seized at Kochi Airport between July 2024 and early 2025 The profitability gap is stark: 1 kg of hydro ganja fetches ~₹1 crore, compared to ₹8 lakh for 1 kg gold—driving smugglers to shift focus
In Northeast India, DRI and Assam Rifles also flagged hydroponic weed as the “latest challenge” in regions like Assam and Tripura. These consignments are mainly trafficked by air travellers into India
International sourcing: Most hydro ganja is imported— from Thailand and other Southeast Asian hubs—through airports .
Local packaging techniques: Authorities report items packed in airtight bags within food boxes to conceal odor
Domestic distribution: In urban hotspots like Bengaluru and Hyderabad, trafficking networks involve courier services and encrypted messaging apps. A Bengaluru bust involved an engineer using WhatsApp for sales
High-end consumer base: Sales often target affluent segments—IT professionals and elite consumers—reflecting urban demand .
Loopholes in “small quantity” definition: Even high‑THC variants under 1 kg yield easier bail and lighter infractions
Evading detection: Smugglers use airtight packaging and food containers to mask smell and bypass scanners
Resourced adversary: Sophisticated indoor setups with LED lights and air circulation systems are harder to detect .
Need for new intelligence tools: Agencies must upskill customs, incorporate canine units, drones, and digital surveillance .
Profit motive: Traffickers earn ₹1 crore per kg, a far higher margin than traditional cannabis or gold smuggling
Sharp demand in elite circles: High-THC hydro ganja appeals to users seeking stronger effects, especially urban professionals
Technology-led cultivation: Entrepreneurs and criminal syndicates invest in high-tech hydro farms, often concealed in urban basements or greenhouses .
Evolving demand landscape: As synthetic drugs (MDMA, LSD) saturate urban markets, hydro ganja emerges as an equally potent, yet less regulated alternative
Airport Customs Vigilance: Mumbai and Chennai airports intercepted multiple consignments via scanners and intelligence
Local Intelligence & Crackdowns: Mumbai police arrested Indonesian nationals; Bengaluru CCB and Hyderabad police conducted targeted busts
Advanced Surveillance Measures: North Andhra police distributed crops to farmers to deter ganja cultivation and used drones/CCTV to monitor trafficking routes
Inter‑agency Collaboration: Customs, DRI, excise, local police, and anti-narcotics wings are coordinating efforts across borders.
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