The Ernakulam Rural Police along with the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) seized 140 kg of ganja in two separate operations on Wednesday morning.
In the first instance, the police team chased down three persons in two cars at Angamaly and seized from them 105 kg of ganja found in 50 tightly sealed packs. The arrested are Ansal, 34, of Thodupuzha, Nizar, 37, of Perumpadachira, and Chanthu, 22, of Vellathooval.
The trio were on the police radar following a tip-off received by District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K. Karthik. Information received from them on interrogation led to the seizure of another 35kg of ganja found hidden in 17 sealed packets in a rented house at Avoli within the Ernakulan rural limits.
“The accused are suspected to be wholesale dealers who had smuggled in the drug in the past. We have already launched a probe, and more people are suspected to be involved in the case,” Mr. Karthik said. A case has been registered invoking relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The contraband seized from the cars was reportedly being smuggled from Andhra Pradesh to Thodupuzha in Idukki. “They [accused] had procured the drug from the tribal belt of Annavaram near Vishakhapatnam, and the rented house was being used to stock the contraband,” said M.R. Madhu Babu, DySP, Narcotic Cell.
Ganja has been literally pouring into the district of late. The latest seizures come close on the heels of the seizure of nearly 13 kg of ganja in two separate incidents in the city on Tuesday alone. In one case, 2.50 kg of ganja was seized from a courier firm after it was found hidden amid rice powder and turmeric and coriander powder in a carton to be sent to Dubai.
A few days ago, three youngsters were nabbed with 45 LSD stamps that they had ordered online and received by courier.
A team led by Mr. Babu and comprising Inspectors Sony Mathai and Peter K.J; Sub Inspector Soofy T.M; Assistant Sub Inspectors Shibu Joseph, Saju Paul, Biju M.V, and Joseph P.J. and senior civil police officers Rony Augustine, Salin Kumar, K.B. Jinson, M.G. Geemon George, Jaimon M.V., Satheeshan, Subi, and Anil participated in the operations.
