# Drones worth Rs 1.03 crore seized at Delhi airport, probe on

2026-09-29T08:47:08+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Customs officials at Delhi's IGI Airport seized drones and components worth Rs 1.03 crore from three Indian passengers arriving from Hong Kong via Vietnam on September 25. The haul included 10 Autel Robotics MDX-1 drones with thermal imaging and laser range-finder capabilities, 11 remote controllers, 60 propellers, and an iPhone 18 Pro Max, all seized under Section 110(1) of the Customs Act. Separately, in Tamil Nadu, police seized hashish oil worth Rs 17 crore in Tuticorin and arrested four men planning to smuggle it to the Maldives by boat. At Chennai International Airport, an Indian female passenger arriving from Kuala Lumpur was arrested after 3.4 kg of hydroponic ganja worth Rs 1.2 crore was found concealed in her checked-in baggage. Investigations are underway in all cases to trace supply networks.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The coverage is uniform straight reporting from both outlets, with no discernible slant or editorial framing. Indiatvnews.com leads with the drone seizure at Delhi airport and appends a separate ganja bust from Bangkok as a secondary item. Hindustan Times leads with a larger-value hashish oil seizure in Tuticorin followed by a Chennai airport ganja seizure, omitting the Delhi drone story entirely. Both outlets use official statements verbatim, and neither questions enforcement tactics or raises due-process concerns. The differences reflect editorial news judgment about geographic proximity or novelty, not political bias. The key number to watch across these cases is the cumulative value of contraband seized, now exceeding Rs 20 crore in three separate operations reported within days.

## Coverage

- indiatvnews.com (neutral report) <https://www.indiatvnews.com/delhi/customs-officials-seize-drones-parts-worth-rs-1-03-crore-at-delhi-airport-three-passengers-under-scanner-2026-09-29-1055603>
  Leads with drone seizure at Delhi airport, appends separate ganja arrest without editorial comment
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/rs-17-cr-hashish-oil-seized-in-tuticorin-4-held-ganja-worth-1-2-cr-ganja-seized-at-airport-101790662225933.html>
  Leads with Tuticorin hashish oil seizure, adds Chennai ganja bust, omits Delhi drone story

Tags: Autel Robotics, Customs Act, Delhi, IGI Airport, NDPS Act, Tuticorin
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Cite: https://indianopinion.org/drones-worth-rs-1-03-crore-seized-at-delhi-airport-probe-on/#story-in-brief