KOCHI: In one of the largest hashish oil hauls in the city, Kochi City Police’s District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) on Wednesday nabbed two youths with 2.6 kg of hashish oil brought from Visakhapatnam. The duo was later handed over to Ernakulam North police which recorded their arrest.
According to police, it was two weeks-long surveillance activities that led to the arrest of Ansal, 23, of Panangad, and Sujil, 23, of Nettoor. A police official said that the two were involved in other drug cases registered in Kochi and other parts of the district. Police had received information that Ansal and Sujil brought ganja and hashish oil from Andhra Pradesh for selling it at a high price in Kochi.
“One of our teams was after the duo for two weeks. The mobile phones of the accused were under surveillance and their locations were regularly monitored. Eight days ago, we found that the accused were at Visakhapatnam. On Tuesday, we found that both boarded a train to Ernakulam Junction railway station from Visakhapatnam,” a police officer said.
A clandestine operation was planned to nab the accused when they reach the city. As per it, two police officials of the DANSAF team boarded the train from Wadakakkanchery railway station and were travelling in the same coach in which the accused persons were travelling. Similarly, two DANSAF teams were deployed at Ernakulam North railway station and Ernakulam Junction railway station.
“Though the accused planned to alight at Ernakulam Junction railway station, they got out of the train at Ernakulam North station where it was stopped for signal. The information in this regard was shared by police officials who were on the train. Instead of the Railway’s main exit point, they came out through a path near ESI Hospital at Ernakulam North. The police team intercepted them by blocking both sides of the path to prevent the duo from escaping,” a police official said.
Ansal and Sujil confessed to the police that they procured hashish oil for Rs 1.20 lakh from a person identified as Bhai. Police have launched a probe to identify the person who supplied the contraband to the duo. Both will be produced before a magistrate on Thursday.