KOCHI: An excise team was in for a surprise when a person flagged down their patrol vehicle at Karumallur on the Aluva-Paravoor stretch on Friday morning. The person residing in the area told the team that a vacant area near a building at the junction had become a popular hangout for anti-socials.
After the man voiced his concern, the team conducted an inspection of the spot and found a ganja plant which had grown to a height of 1.5 metres. The team removed the plant and launched a probe into the incident.
Excise officials said that following the lockdown, there has been a steady rise in use of drugs and ganja in several rural areas in the district and special patrol teams have been deployed to crack down on drug traffickers. The excise has also sought public support to check the drug menace and want people to pass on any information to the officials at the following contact numbers -- 0484 2443187, 9400069558.