The excise team probing the MDMA (a drug popularly known as Ecstasy) haul worth ₹200 crore from a courier firm is set to take the accused in the case to Chennai for collecting evidence.
Prasanth Kumar, a Kannur native residing in Chennai, was arrested earlier this month on charge of attempting to push the contraband to Malaysia via Kochi. He is now in ten day-police custody.
Officials on Friday took the accused to the lodge where he had rented a room while operating the deal, the courier company, and the private travel company that used to transport the contraband from Chennai to Kochi.
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“He was identified by people in all these places. Lodge authorities said another person, apparently Ali, was also there,” said Excise deputy commissioner A.S. Ranjith. Officials continue to be on the lookout for Ali, who is regarded as the kingpin of an international smuggling ring, in this connection. Prasanth got acquainted with Ali through one of his friends, identified as Subair.
Excise officials said that foreign connection to the case was fast emerging but declined to reveal further.
Prasanth had sent the contraband, concealed in eight cartons of textile consignment, to Kochi through a private courier service agency situated at Egmore in Chennai. They were intending to transport the contraband to Malaysia through a private air cargo service in the city.
The courier agent, however, grew suspicious of their intention behind rerouting the packet through Kochi instead of sending it directly and alerted the excise officials.
