Kerala team hot on heels of Chennai man in ‘ecstasy’ case

Ali is believed to be the kingpin of a global drug smuggling gang

A team from the Excise department of the Kerala government, which is probing the seizure of 3,4-Methyl​enedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), popularly known as the ecstasy drug, worth ₹200 crore from a courier company in the city is learned to have traced the hideouts of the prime accused Ali in Chennai.

According to Excise department sources, the accused has been shuttling between five different places in Chennai city. The team had taken the arrested co-accused Prasanth Kumar to Chennai for evidence collection.

Prasanth, a Kannur native residing in Chennai, was arrested earlier this month on charges of attempting to push the contraband to Malaysia via Kochi.

Prasanth was also taken to his place at Triplicane in Chennai for collecting evidence. The investigating officials had also talked to his wife and collected details.

Ali is learned to have rented the rooms in the names of his various acquaintances. He had alleged to have lured Prasanth into the drug smuggling racket by promising him a job in Malaysia.

Investigating officials were confident of capturing Ali even if he had fled Chennai. The Excise deparment had been given custody of Prasanth till October 20. The officials, who are in Chennai, are expected to return by Friday after which they would discuss the progress of the investigation with superiors.

Meanwhile, it is learned that Excise Commissioner Rishiraj Singh had gone to Chennai and has held discussions with senior police officers there with regard to the case.

Before taking him to Chennai, officials had taken Prasanth to the lodge in Kochi (where he had taken room while operating on the deal), the courier company and the private travel company used to transport the contraband from Chennai to Kochi.

He was identified by people in all these places. Lodge authorities said that another person, apparently Ali, was also there.

Officials continue to be on the lookout for Ali, who is regarded as the kingpin of an international smuggling racket. Prasanth got acquainted with Ali through one of his friends identified as Subair.