The Excise Department has seized over 3 kg of ganja and 200 kg of illegal tobacco products in separate operations over two days.
In a combined operation conducted by the Thripunithura Range and Excise Intelligence officials on Thursday evening, 2.05 kg of ganja was seized during a vehicle check. Shameer, 35, of Chavakkkad, was arrested. The car used for transporting the contraband was taken into custody.
According to Excise officials, the accused had been sourcing ganja from Coimbatore and selling it for a huge margin in Ernakulam and nearby areas over the last five years.
A probe is on to trace the source and potential partners of the accused.
An excise special squad seized 3,000 packets of illegal tobacco products weighing 200 kg from Cheranalloor on Friday. Shamsudeen, a resident of Edayakkunnam, has been taken into custody.
The accused had reportedly stocked the products in the guise of provisions in a secret chamber in his shop. Excise sleuths alleged that he sourced the products from Tamil Nadu.
In another operation, Amirul Sheikh aka Ganja Bai, a resident of Mursihdabad, was arrested by Varapuzha Excise officials with 1.17 kg of ganja from Manjummal.
The accused was picked up while he was waiting to hand over the contraband to a partner.
