THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Frequent but short trips to Oman. Luxurious lifestyle despite not having a regular source of income. Possession of several premium vehicles and a palatial 4000 sq ft house under-construction, whose source of money was unclear. And two previous drug cases. These ‘anomalies’ made Thiruvananthapuram rural police interested in Shaiju aka Sanju, a 41-year-old man from Kallambalam.
Their suspicion proved true on Wednesday night when the cops nabbed Shaiju and his three accomplices from Kallambalam when they were taking home 1.26 kg MDMA that he had brought from Muscat in an Air India flight.
The police said the high-grade contraband could fetch close to Rs 80 lakh in the wholesale market. Shaiju had procured it from a contact in Oman with the help of his accomplice Nandu, 32, also of Kallambalam, who had travelled to that country.
They sought the help of two men – Unnikrishnan, 39, and Prameen, 35, both natives of Vadasserikonam – to transport the contraband in a pick-up vehicle. All the four were arrested in a midnight swoop down jointly conducted by the district anti-narcotic force and Kallambalam police after they found the contraband concealed inside a container carrying dates.
Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP Sudarsan K S said the opulent lifestyle of Shaiju and the frequent Oman trips evoked suspicion among cops. He said the Oman sojourn lasted for a few days and that was a dead giveaway. When arrested, Shaiju was accompanied by his wife and two children. Sudarsan said Shaiju apparently took his family with him in a bid to not evoke any suspicion and managed to give the sleuths at the airport a slip by concealing the drugs within the dates packet. “Since the dates are dark in colour, the officers on duty could’ve missed them,” he said.
According to another officer, Shaiju made four trips to Oman this year with the recent trip being made on July 3. By that time Nandu was already there. Nandu went on June 30 and the two decided to return together with Shaiju’s family on Wednesday. The police had information about their return, said the source.
The police said they are examining whether Shaiju’s wife was involved in the case and further action will be taken if her role is identified. Drug trafficking has increased from gulf countries after gold smuggling lost its charm due to a slash in profit.
In March this year, the Malappuram police had arrested a 27-year-old Malappuram native, who is said to be the ringleader of a racket that supplies MDMA from Oman to Kerala. The arrest was made in connection with seizure of 1.6 kg MDMA.