Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement Force (EAGLE Force) has dismantled a major international drug smuggling network that trafficked hydroponic cannabis from Thailand to India. The operation, conducted with assistance from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs authorities, led to the seizure of 12.79 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis valued at approximately ₹12.7 crore. Authorities have identified 40 individuals connected to the syndicate and arrested 10 accused persons so far.
The smuggling operation revealed a significant profit margin in the illegal trade. The OG Ganja, as the hydroponic cannabis is known, costs around ₹3 lakh per kilogram in Bangkok but sells for between ₹70 lakh to ₹1 crore per kilogram in the Indian market. The syndicate had established a sophisticated cultivation facility in Thailand capable of producing 144 plants per cycle and recruited nearly 300 carriers to smuggle the contraband into India through various entry points.
According to EAGLE Force Director Sandeep Shandilya, the smuggling network was allegedly masterminded by Hemang Pramod Keluskar of Mumbai and his brother Sudhanshu Pramod Keluskar. The brothers reportedly established their Thailand-based operation in 2023 to procure and smuggle hydroponic cannabis into India. Investigators discovered that the Keluskar brothers had previously been involved in red sandalwood smuggling in 2013 before transitioning to the narcotics trade after recognizing the high demand and substantial financial returns.
The investigation uncovered links spanning multiple states including Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and other regions across India. The syndicate recruited carriers primarily from Gujarat and Telangana to transport the contraband through different international airports. These drug mules were then connected to a network of handlers and peddlers who distributed the substance throughout the country.
The case originated from the interception of Mohsin Bahadurbhai Sodha at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad on April 7, 2026, when he was found carrying 13.2 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis. Following this initial arrest, EAGLE Force conducted extensive surveillance operations that led to further breakthroughs in the investigation.
Subsequent operations resulted in the arrest of Prajapti Harshad Mansukhbhai and Sandeep Jaiprakash Vaswani, also known as Rahul Jain, at BHEL Junction, Ramachandrapuram. During this operation, authorities seized 12.739 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis from their possession. These arrests provided critical intelligence that helped investigators map the entire smuggling network.
Police investigations revealed a highly organized operation where carriers were flown to Thailand, accommodated in Pattaya, and provided with luggage containing the hydroponic cannabis. The carriers were then instructed to return through various Indian airports to avoid detection. Once in India, the contraband was transported to Mumbai for distribution to the wider network. The financial transactions were conducted entirely in cash, with payments allegedly routed back to Thailand through hawala channels to finance continued drug trafficking activities.
The EAGLE Force confirmed that several arrests linked to this network had been made previously by Customs, DRI and state narcotics units at different airports and locations across the country. Those arrested in separate but connected cases included carriers and coordinators operating from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Gujarat and other regions. The multi-agency collaboration has been instrumental in identifying and dismantling various components of this international smuggling operation.
