Hydroponic marijuana: How is ‘poor man’s cocaine’ from Thailand taking over India’s party scene?

Hydroponic marijuana or ganja from Thailand, dubbed as ‘poor man's cocaine’, is becoming increasingly popular among youth, due to its affordability and cocaine like hallucinogenic effects. Hence, it is becoming a craze in rave parties, happening secretly in apartments, resorts and isolated places.

In the marijuana industry, hydroponic farming, which is prevalent for the production of fruits and vegetables, has gained wide acceptance. Marijuana farmers from Toronto to Brisbane have adopted it all over the world. The most significant advantage of hydroponically growing marijuana is improving plant output. The hydroponic variant, which is grown without soil, contains 30% Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compared to 3% in regular marijuana, making it an instant choice for party goers.

With the smuggling of high-potency hydroponic marijuana from Thailand to India on the rise, the centre has raised this issue with Thai authorities. Official data tabled by the Union Minister of State for Home indicated that seizures in Karnataka (226 kg) and Tamil Nadu (194 kg) accounted for a major quantity of the drugs seized since 2023.

Data reveals that the seizures went up sharply, with the first five months of 2025 accounting for more than double the quantity of hydroponic marijuana or ganja seized in 2023. The seizure was 169 kg in 2023, which rose to 302 kg in 2024 and 373 kg in the first five months of 2025. Over 130 people have been arrested since 2023, as per the data. The street price hovers at around Rs 1 crore per kg, which is almost the same as that of the synthetic drug methamphetamine.

Growing hydroponic Ganja is relatively simple. A water pump, an air pump, little pots, and inert substrates like coconut fibre, rock, or clay balls are required for hydroponics. The tubes, drippers, and nutrients are other small requirements, apart from the air-conditioned environment. Indoor growers also invest in high-quality grow lights, such as HPS or LED, to mimic the intensity and spectrum of natural sunlight.

Adequate ventilation and air circulation are crucial to prevent mould and mildew issues, especially during the flowering stage. The hydroponic system selected will affect the growing medium that is employed. Thai cannabis can adapt to various growing mediums, including soil, hydroponics, or coco coir. Soil is a beginner-friendly option, while hydroponics and coco coir offer more control over nutrient delivery and growth parameters.

Cannabis shops in Bangkok sell an amazing range of hydroponic Ganja having exotic names like Banana Glue, Banana Runtz, Blue Dream, Blue Zushi, Blue Tang, Candyland, Chemdawg, Chocolate Skunk, Citrus Rush, Fruitonium, Gary Payton, Girl Scout Cookies, Grandpa Cookies #2, Lemon Chello, Lollipopz, Mac Mintz, Northern Lights, Orange Sherbert, Pink Kush, Platinum Dolato, Super Lemon Haze, Tom Yum Kush, Unicorn Poop, Watermon Z kittles, White Runtz, Slurricane, Sensi Dog, Blue Dream Haze, Blueberry Cookie, CBD Charlotte’s Angel, Cameloti, Strawberry Lemonade, and Tropic Ozz. Some other popular Thai cannabis strains include “Thai Stick,” “Thai Tiger,” and “Thai 47.” Each of these strains offers a unique combination of flavours, aromas, and effects. Restaurants are serving marijuana-laced dishes, like marijuana tea and marijuana ice cream. Convenience stores sell weed-tinged drinking water. For this reason, Thailand is also referred to as Southeast Asia’s “Weed Wonderland”. 80% of what’s grown in Thailand is exported.

Another hybrid goes under the name Blue Dragon, which is a hybrid of Sour Diesel and DJ shorts Blueberry. Its THC levels can go as high as 24%, but are generally around 19%. This strain has dense bulb-shaped buds that have a bluish purple colour. It produces a very euphoric high that gets evenly distributed all over the body. Blue Dragon has a heavy-hitting high that lingers on the body for an hour or two. Its aroma is very sweet with a strong hint of berry flavour and diesel in the end. A person gets a very powerful cerebral high on smoking Blue Dragon.

“Dro weed” or “dro” for short, is another slang for hydroponic marijuana. In Thailand, it is also known as “OG”.

Air passengers who smuggle out the hydroponic Ganja to different destinations, especially India, use a standard type of packaging, with the drug packed in air-tight plastic bags which are concealed inside tetra packs of fruit juices, chocolates or ready-to-eat breakfast items. This is to ensure that its smell is suppressed, so that the Customs officials are not alerted.

On August 29, 2025, NCB officials arrested a woman smuggling 40.2 kg of hydroponic ganja from Bangkok via Dubai was caught at RGI Airport, Shamshabad, Hyderabad. The ganja worth Rs 14 crore was procured from Bangkok, and she travelled to Dubai, and from there took a flight to India. The woman preferred to come to India from Bangkok via Dubai, as in the past, some people coming directly from Bangkok with ganja were caught.

On March 09, 2025, the Goa police arrested a man carrying hydroponic weed worth ₹11.67 crore, a feat that is being hailed as the state's biggest-ever drug seizure. The man was arrested in Guirim village, situated between Panaji and Mapusa, with 11.672 kgs of the banned drug.

The big challenge for India is that in many countries it is legal, and has grown into a big industry, bringing prosperity to local farmers. Thailand is having bumper harvesting, hence there is great focus on exporting it. Enforcement officials will have a tough time controlling the constant trafficking in hydroponic ganja.

The author is former Director General of National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics