Vandiperiyar range excise team on Friday arrested Iswaran, 46, a resident of Cumbom, Tamil Nadu, and seized two kilograms of ganja. An excise official said he was a major dealer in ganja and supplied it to small dealers. He was arrested while trying to find prospective dealers from near the bus stand at Vandiperiyar, said the official.
Iswaran was involved in a number of cases in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The police said he collected the ganja from Andhra Pradesh. The excise officials had intensified patrolling in the area following a tip-off, resulting in the arrest of Iswaran. He used to sell ganja to intermediaries who would then find the customers. In recent times those arrested, especially on the check-post at Kumily, included students and minors. The official said Cumbom was a major hub for selling ganja that reached Kerala via Kollam-Theni National Highway. The team was led by excise inspector C.K. Sunilraj.
