KOCHI: Figures from two days of the ongoing special drive by the Ernakulam Rural police reveal that smuggling of drugs and sale of banned tobacco products and illicit liquor is rampant in the rural areas of the district. Heroin, hashish, ganja and chewable tobacco (Hans) were mainly flowing into the rural areas.
The police have registered 51 cases related to the issue over the past two days, and 59 persons were arrested and illegal stuff seized from their possession. Raids were carried out within 34 police station limits in the rural police district, said an officer.The police had busted organised rackets bringing tonnes of banned tobacco products into the district. The traffickers were earning a profit ranging from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh per week.
The sleuths arrested two persons while they were transporting banned tobacco products concealed in 78 sacks in a pick-up truck at Angamaly. Abdul Jabbar, 49, and Abdul Rasheed, 56, of Marampilly, near Aluva, were arrested in a search carried out by the police on the national highway following a tip-off received by Ernakulam Rural SP K Karthick. The police said the smugglers sell the contraband to the migrant workers in the district.
The rural police launched the special drive from January 20 to curb the huge inflow of drugs and tobacco products. Searches are continuing in the jurisdictions of all the 34 police stations under the rural police. “The special drive will continue in the coming days. Many persons involved in drug smuggling have been arrested so far,” said SP Karthick.The police have already put those involved earlier in drug and illicit liquor sales under surveillance.
Besides, the cyber cell and the cyber police station have been directed to monitor whether such transactions are taking place through social media.