KOCHI: The Excise Crime Branch (CB) has arraigned three more persons as accused in connection with the seizure of over 12kg of methamphetamine, a recreational drug also known as meth, from a serviced apartment in Vazhakkala here in August 2021. The probe team has also identified the main supplier of the meth, who they believe is in Chennai.
The Excise CB had recently received information about other persons involved in the racket. “The three persons arraigned are from Idukki, Thodupuzha and Kasaragod. Now, there are 24 accused persons in the case. Five of them are absconding and a lookout notice has been issued against them. To confirm the role of the newly-arraigned persons in the racket, we had questioned prime accused Favaz and Shabna who are in jail,” said an official.
The investigation team has also received crucial information about the main supplier, from whom the gang used to procure the meth. “We are tracing his whereabouts in Chennai. Attempts are being made to arrest him,” an official said.
An inspection of the transactions from a bank account started by one of the arrested persons in December 2020 helped the agency identify the supplier. The account was used for transferring money to procure drugs and on one occasion, `11 lakh was deposited by one of the arrested persons to the supplier.
The excise and customs department had, in a joint operation, busted a six-member gang that sold drugs in large quantities in Kochi. The gang, which comprises two women, used to travel to Chennai via road, posing as family members, to procure drugs. They also used to carry two dogs – a Rottweiler and Doberman – to prevent police inspection while returning to Kerala with the drugs.