KOCHI: In the one-month-long Onam special drive conducted by excise department in Ernakulam district, 256 persons were arrested for abuse and sale of drugs, liquor and banned tobacco. The Onam special drive, which started on August 5, concluded on Monday. The data with the excise department reveal that 1,040 cases were registered under Abkari Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) till Monday.
As many as 144 abkari cases, 113 NDPS and 783 COTPA cases were registered and 256 persons were arrested. “During the special drive, we busted many rackets which were into drug peddling. Strict enforcement activities were carried out across the district.
We also conducted joint operations along with the police and Railway Protection Force. Our control rooms at the district level, as well as at taluks, were operational 24 hours during the Onam season. The checking at highways also resulted in seizure of large quantities of contraband. We were also collecting intelligence inputs regarding drug peddling and illegal brewing of arrack,” Excise Deputy Commissioner R Jayachandran said.
As much as 108.057kg of ganja and four ganja plants were seized as part of the Onam special drive. The excise department seized 43.499 grams of MDMA, 112.875g of heroin, 2.4093g of hashish oil, 0.142g of brown sugar, and 40mg of nitrazepam tablets. “One of our priorities was to keep a tab on the flow of drugs to the district. We could arrest many persons who were smuggling drugs to the district during the Onam season,” an excise official said.
As far as abkari cases are concerned, 360 litres of spirit, 99.5 litres of arrack, 1,815 litres of wash used for brewing arrack, 563.805 litres of liquor, 66 litres of beer, 11 litres of toddy and 2.4 litres of illicit liquor were also seized between August 5 and September 12. As many as 383.5 kg of tobacco products and 2.970 kg of sandalwood were also seized.
EXCISE ARRESTS FOUR WITH 79KG OF GANJA
KOCHI: Excise on Saturday seized 79.9 kg of ganja smuggled from Andhra Pradesh in a lorry at Kaloor near Muvattupuzha. Excise officials arrested four persons, including a father and son, in the case. It was during a road check by Excise Central Zone Commissioner’s squad that the lorry carrying a large quantity of ganja was intercepted. The arrested persons were identified as Thankachan, 61, of Kaliyar, Thodupuzha, his son Arun, 24, Nidhin, 26, of Padinjare Kodikulam, and Abins Nazar, 25, of Vannapuram. Though officials tried to stop the lorry at an Excise check point at Perumbavoor, it sped towards the Muvattupuzha area. The ganja was found concealed in several plastic sacks. Ganja arrived from Vijayawada district and GooglePay was used for fund transfer.