KOCHI: The Perumbavoor police have arrested a key supplier of ganja from West Bengal in connection with the seizure of 51 kg of the contraband in Kerala, bringing all accused in the case under arrest.
The accused has been identified as Aslam S K, 31, a native of Murshidabad district in West Bengal. He was apprehended on Wednesday from the Jalangi area of Murshidabad after a three-month investigation.
According to the police, Aslam was the principal supplier of ganja that was allegedly trafficked from West Bengal to Kerala. Investigators said he had remained out of reach for months, with his mobile phone switched off. After interrogating the accused who are in custody, and gathering intelligence, the investigation team traced an alternative phone number, verified his whereabouts and travelled to West Bengal to arrest him.
The arrest was made by the Perumbavoor police team from Thadiyittaparambu, which conducted the inter-state operation.
Police said the case began with the arrest of one accused in connection with the 51-kg ganja seizure. The probe subsequently led to the arrest of two more accused. Aslam, who was outside Kerala, was identified as the alleged source of the consignment and was arrested in the final leg of the probe.
With Aslam’s arrest, all four accused in the case are in custody. Police said further investigation is under way to ascertain the wider network involved in trafficking ganja from West Bengal to Kerala.