Mumbai, Dec 10: The Mumbai Airport Customs in 15 cases over the past eight days have seized smuggled drugs worth ₹43 crore, gold worth ₹1.51 crore and diamonds valued at ₹87 lakh.

According to the Customs, during December 03 till December 10 they detected ten cases of smuggling of hydroponic weed.

“Based on spot profiling, a total of 37.26 kg of suspected hydroponic weed valued at approximately ₹37.26 crore in the illicit market were recovered under seven cases from nine passengers who had arrived from Bangkok via various flights and were arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act,” said a Customs officer.

“The modus operandi used by the accused in these cases were that the passengers attempted to smuggle hydroponic weed by concealing the contraband inside the trolley bags and using the baggage tags of another flight to avoid detection by Customs Officers. In some cases, the passengers attempted to smuggle hydroponic weed by concealing the contraband inside the lumps of tamarind to avoid detection,” the officer said.

In three other cases, based on specific intelligence, a total of 6 kg of suspected hydroponic weed, valued at approximately ₹6 crore in the illicit market were recovered from three passengers who had arrived from Bangkok via various flights and were arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act.

“Other than the NDPS cases, four gold smuggling cases were booked in which a total of 1,256 grams of gold valued at ₹1.51 crore were recovered and seized from four passengers. In one case, diamonds valued at ₹87.75 lakh were recovered and seized from one passenger,” the officer said.

Lucknow, Dec 10: A CBI Court in Lucknow has convicted and sentenced Vijay Kumar Dwivedi, a former Office Assistant at the University Institute of Engineering & Technology (UIET) under Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University (BBAU), to four years’ rigorous imprisonment in a bribery case.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on him, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The conviction was pronounced on December 9, the statement said.

According to the CBI, the case originated from a complaint filed by a contractual assistant professor of UIET, who alleged that Dwivedi had demanded an undue advantage of Rs 50,000 in exchange for facilitating the extension of the contractual appointment of the assistant professor.

The accused claimed that the extension would be processed through the Director of UIET and demanded a bribe to ensure the renewal.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI registered the case on June 2, 2017, and laid a trap. During the trap, Dwivedi was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount from the complainant assistant professor. The agency subsequently arrested him.

Following the completion of the investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Dwivedi on August 1, 2017. The prosecution presented evidence, including witness testimonies, trap proceedings, and recovered money, to establish the guilt of the accused.

After a detailed trial, the CBI Court found Dwivedi guilty of demanding and accepting illegal gratification and sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment.

The court also ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 30,000. The judgment, the agency said, reinforces the CBI’s commitment to combating corruption in public institutions.

The CBI actively investigates bribery cases, leading to convictions of public servants and private individuals for demanding or accepting bribes, with punishments including imprisonment and hefty fines.

Palghar: In a swift and coordinated operation, the Crime Branch Unit 4 of the Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar Police Commissionerate arrested two accused who brutally attacked a jeweller during an attempted daylight robbery in Vasai East.

The incident occurred on December 9, 2025, at around 11:57 a.m. at Ambika Jewellers, located near Shalimar Hotel in Waliv, Vasai East. According to the police, the complainant’s brother, Kalusingh Kharvat, was attending the shop when an unidentified man and woman entered the store along with a young child. They asked to see a gold ring and also requested water for the child.

When Kalusingh stepped into the inner room to bring water, the male accused followed him inside and allegedly attacked him with a knife. The victim sustained multiple stab wounds to his abdomen, hands, chin, right cheek, and forearm. The attacker reportedly attempted to kill him before fleeing the scene. A case was registered at Waliv Police Station under BNS Section 109 and 3(5) for attempted murder and related offences.

Acting on instructions from senior officers, Crime Branch Unit 4 immediately visited the crime scene, analysed CCTV footage, and developed actionable intelligence. Based on technical surveillance and confidential information, the team tracked down and detained the suspects from the Nashik Road area.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Sohel Sharafat Khan, 23, and Firdos Bano Sohel Khan, both residents of Tehroli, District Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. The duo were found to be actively involved in the crime and were handed over to Waliv Police Station for further investigation. 

Meanwhile, the victim is undergoing treatment and is reported to be in stable condition.