KOCHI: A total of 13 people were arrested with psychotropic substances like MDMA during a joint raid by police, the excise department, narcotics control bureau (NCB), customs, railway police, and the dog squad in Kochi on Sunday.
The raid against drug use and trafficking focused primarily on previous drug offenders, individuals currently out on bail, their suppliers, and locations such as railway stations and lodges where drug transactions are suspected to occur.
During the raid in a hotel located on SRM Road, two persons were nabbed with 31.46g of MDMA. The arrested are Subin, 26, a native of Idukki, and Bijin Abraham, 21, a native of Pathanamthitta. In another incident, 1.53g of MDMA and 1.50g of cannabis were seized from near a lodge in Palarivattom, resulting in the arrest of Kollam natives Roshan, 20, and Najmal, 24. Other nine accused persons were arrested from various parts of the city.
The raid was conducted under the leadership of Kochi City police commissioner Putta Vimaladitya, DCP Ashwathi Gigi, narcotics cell ACP Abdul Salam, customs commissioner Padmavati, customs SPs Vikas Kumar and Vivek V, NCB assistant director Venugopal, excise assistant commissioner Sudheer, and RPF DySP George Joseph.
Primary focus on previous offenders
The raid focused primarily on previous drug offenders, individuals currently out on bail, their suppliers, & locations such as railway stations and lodges where drug transactions are suspected to occur