THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The back-to-back arrests of two gangs – one run by a Keralite and the other by a Maldivian – for smuggling hashish oil in the past two months has led to a positive outcome.
Post the arrests, the enforcement agencies have found the movement of hashish oil, a priced commodity in international markets, has almost ceased in Kerala.
Though the probes into the cases are yet to reach their logical conclusions, the Excise Intelligence as well as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officers said after the arrests, in which a total of 28 kg of hashish oil worth crores of rupees was seized in Thiruvananthapuram, they hadn’t come across a single case of hashish oil smuggling through Kerala .
“The extensive manhunt launched by the police as well as Excise teams for an Idukki-based man, thought to be a kingpin of the hashish oil production and smuggling gang, stopped the movement of hashish oil through the state, which is considered to be the exit point of the substance to international markets,” said sources.
An Excise officer said the racket operating within and outside the state might have felt the heat of the investigation.“Only a few persons are involved in the sale of hashish oil as it is a risky and costly affair. The sustained action against smuggling is thought to have forced them to suspend their activities, at least for some time,” the officer said.
Less ganja production also a factor
Besides the arrests, the reduced production of ganja has also led to a decline in the production of hashish oil, said NCB officers. Hashish oil is extracted from ganja leaves and more than 10 kg of leaves are required to produce 1 kg of the oil. Ganja production normally sinks during monsoon as it is considered an ‘off-season’. NCB sources said the risk associated with hashish oil production is more which prevented ganja peddlers from engaging in the trade.
“Extracting the oil is risky as the smell of ganja leaves can reach up to a km. This is why its production is confined to isolated and forest areas. The efforts can easily go down the drain if the oil is caught while smuggling. So, people think twice before engaging in the business,” said NCB sources.