Three men from Alappuzha district who were allegedly transporting 2 kg of cannabis (ganja) in an autorickshaw were arrested by a team led by Kollam Excise circle inspector J. Thajudeenkutty late Wednesday night from the Taluk Kacheri junction in the city.
The three who tried to escape when the autorickshaw was intercepted by the Excise officers were chased and caught with the help of local people. The cannabis and the autorickshaw, bearing registration number KL-04-AA-7115, are in the custody of the Excise.
Two of the arrested, identified as Joby Varghese, 29, and Suresh Purushothaman, 34, are natives of Komalapuram. The other man was identified as S. Shajahan, 30, a native of Mannancherry. Mr. Thajudeenkutty said the ganja was being brought to be sold to Kollam city-based drug peddlers. Their autorickshaw was intercepted on the basis of a tip-off. During interrogations the three allegedly confessed that they sourced the cannabis from the Kumbum and Theni areas of Tamil Nadu at the rate of Rs.6,000 a kg. To the drug peddlers they sell the stuff at rates ranging from Rs.20,000 to Rs.25,000 a kg. They were also wanted by some of the police and excise stations in Alappuzha district for the same offence, Mr. Thajudinkutty said.