KOCHI: Following the spurt in narcotic cases, Ernakulam rural police will initiate preventive detention against 21 persons under provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act.
A special team, headed by Ernakulam rural district police chief Vivek Kumar, submitted the proposal to the home department. Those involved in narcotics cases will be in preventive detention for as long as 12 months, as per the act.
Four persons were placed behind the bars during the past year as per provisions of the act. The latest of this was Idukki native Kunju Moidheen aka Nizar, 40, who lives in Muvattupuzha, an alleged repeat offender. He is an accused in the case linked to the seizure of 103.870kg of ganja in Angamaly in November 2020 and in the case registered with the Kothamangalam excise range office for the seizure of 1.223kg of ganja in June 2022.
Anas, 46, of Perumbavoor; Prasannan, 44, of Kalamassery; and Abid of Thaliparambu were previously detained by rural police.
Anas is accused in the case of 225kg of ganja seized in Karukutti, Angamaly, in 2021. There are about five cases pending against him. Prasannan is an accused in the case of the seizure of 2kg of ganja from Oorakkad, Kizhakkambalam. He was involved in around 20 cases.