KOCHI: Heightened surveillance and frequent vehicle checks in Kochi have forced drug traffickers to alter their routes, with the Aluva-Angamaly-Perumbavoor belt emerging as a key transit and distribution corridor, according to excise department officials.
In the backdrop of the seizure of over 116 kg of ganja in Karukutty, an official said the operation was carried out based on a specific tip-off that a large consignment meant for distribution in Ernakulam district would be routed through the area bypassing Kochi city.
“Traffickers have realised that bringing contraband directly into Kochi has become increasingly difficult because of intensive checking. They now unload and distribute consignments from locations around 10 km outside the city before moving the drugs through local networks,” the official said.
The official said the syndicate had travelled from Odisha by train to Thrissur before splitting up and boarding different buses to avoid attracting attention. But excise personnel in plain clothes carried out surveillance using private vehicles and intercepted the suspects.
Officials pointed to the sophisticated methods adopted by traffickers. The seized cannabis had been hydraulically compressed and vacuum-packed, significantly reducing its volume.
“Normally, a sack can hold only six to seven kilograms of loose ganja. By compressing it hydraulically, traffickers can pack as much as 20 to 25 kilograms into the same space, making it easier to transport and conceal,” the official explained.
In this case, the contraband had been packed into 58 packets and concealed in 11 shoulder bags. Investigators believe interstate traffickers are changing their business model by bypassing middlemen. Instead of relying solely on local carriers, some suppliers are transporting the contraband themselves to maximise profits before handing it over to retailers.
Officials said an investigation is under way to determine whether the accused were merely carriers or were directly linked to the distribution network in Kerala.
The excise department has noticed a growing trend of retail drug sales around railway stations and railway tracks, where small quantities are sold directly to consumers. Officials said breaking up larger consignments into small packets yields significantly higher profits than wholesale distribution, making direct retail sales more attractive to traffickers.