KOCHI: In a major swoop on the ganja racket here, Ernakulam Rural police on Wednesday seized 140 kg of the banned narcotic and arrested three persons in this connection. The drug was seized from two cars in Angamaly and a house at Avoly near Muvattupuzha.
Ansal, 34, hailing from Edavetty, Thodupuzha, Chandu, 22, Areekkal, Vellathooval, Idukki, and Nizar, 37, of Perumpillichira, Thodupuzha, were arrested around 2am following a joint operation by District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) and Angamaly police.
According to the police, the trio was under the surveillance following a tip-off received by K Karthick, SP, Rural. A total of 105 kg of the narcotic contained in 50 packets was being ferried in two cars which were intercepted at Angamaly. On interrogating the trio, officers came to know that 17 packets of ganja weighing a total of 35 kg were stored at a rented house in Avoly and these were also seized.
The seizure was made when the contraband was being smuggled in from Andhra Pradesh to Thodupuzha, said poliee. It was kept inside the cars in large packages.“A probe is under way to find out the exact destinations to where the contraband was bound. Involvement of more persons is suspected and we are looking into it,” said the Rural SP.
Recently, the Rural police had arrested three youths with 45 LSD stamps at Perumbavoor. Considering the inflow of drugs, police have stepped up vigil in rural areas of the district.