The Mangaluru Coastal Security Police (CSP) have arrested an alleged drug peddler who was wanted and at large for over 15 years, from a hideout in Kerala.
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The CSP police identified the arrested accused as T. E. Joseph, 58, hailing from Totattady in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada. He was arrested from a hideout in Thrissur district of Kerala. Joseph had failed to appear before a Dakshina Kannada District and Sessions Court for more than a decade in two cases related to alleged possession of cannabis.
The CSP had arrested Joseph in 2008 on charges of having cannabis. He secured bail in the case and then failed to appear before the court. The court had issued a long pending case (LPC) warrant against Joseph. Similarly, an LPC warrant was issued by the court for his failure to appear since 2010 in a case related to cannabis peddling registered by Belthangady police. He is also an accused in another case of cannabis registered in Wayanad police station of Kerala.
A special team headed by CSP Inspector Anantha Padmanabha was closely following Joseph’s movement for the last three months. Following credible inputs, the special team went to Thrissur district and arrested him on February 22. Joseph was produced before Principal District and Sessions Judge, Dakshina Kannada, who remanded him to Mangaluru District Prison.