Chennai: A 54-year-old Malaysian man from Perak has been apprehended at Chennai International Airport, India, after authorities discovered four kilogrammes of hydroponic cannabis concealed in his luggage, police confirm.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, director of the Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID), reported that the man had boarded a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Chennai on August 8. Upon arrival, Chennai Customs conducted a search of his luggage, revealing the hidden cannabis.

Hussein noted that the individual had no prior criminal record with the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) and is currently in the custody of Chennai Customs. The man is being investigated under India's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985, as he awaits trial.

"NCID will maintain continuous contact with India's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to obtain further details on the case and investigate the syndicate network involved," Hussein stated.

The illicit substance was detected after an X-ray scan of the luggage displayed suspicious images. This led to the discovery of four packages containing a greenish, lumpy material with a strong odour. These packages were hidden in a specially constructed compartment at the bottom of the checked luggage. Subsequent drug detection tests confirmed the substance as cannabis, with a net weight of 4.033 kg.