KOCHI: Traffickers are using unsuspecting homes, shops and workshops in Kochi as covert collection points for narcotics shipped through courier services, a ploy police say is gaining traction as intensified anti-drug operations force illicit syndicates to adopt new methods to evade detection.
The trend came to light during investigations under the statewide ‘Operation Toofan’ anti-narcotics crackdown, which investigators believe has forced drug rings to revive and modify the parcel route.
According to Kochi City police, synthetic drugs and cannabis products purchased through dark-web platforms are being concealed inside everyday items and shipped through courier services.
“Instead of using their own addresses, traffickers are increasingly choosing locations that regularly receive courier deliveries. This allows the actual recipient to remain detached from the consignment,” an investigator involved in the probe said.
The tactic recently came to light when a parcel containing nearly 10 kg of ganja was delivered to a workshop in Kochi. Employees accepted the package as a routine delivery but alerted police on discovering the contraband.
Investigators suspect the intended recipient was supposed to collect it shortly after delivery.
In another case, police arrested an Alappuzha native after recovering 3.6 grams of MDMA allegedly delivered by courier.
During the investigation, officers found that the drug had been concealed inside a sari before being dispatched.
Cops have also received reports of people receiving parcels they never ordered, followed by someone arriving to claim the package. Houses and establishments that frequently receive courier deliveries are particularly vulnerable to misuse, officers said.
Police have intensified surveillance of suspicious parcel movements across the city.
“Following recent seizures, we have stepped up monitoring of suspicious parcel movements and are closely examining courier-based deliveries linked to narcotics trafficking,” a senior officer said.
Police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious deliveries.
“People should never accept parcels on behalf of strangers or take delivery of packages they did not order. Public vigilance can play a crucial role in disrupting these supply chains,” an officer said.
How network operates
Orders are placed through dark-web platforms, with narcotics concealed within ordinary items before being shipped through courier services. Rather than using the buyer’s address, traffickers often send parcels to shops, workshops or houses that regularly receive deliveries. The intended recipient is then instructed to collect the package after delivery, creating a distance between the buyer and the consignment and making the network harder to trace.
Recent case
Employees at a Kochi workshop alerted police on discovering nearly 10kg of ganja inside a parcel that investigators believe was sent to the location as a collection point for traffickers