KOCHI: As part of a citywide crackdown to combat the suspected proliferation of drug distribution and immoral activities in spas and massage parlours, the police conducted simultaneous inspections at 79 establishments. The officials arrested a female employee at a spa in Kadavanthra after confiscating 5g of ganja from her possession during the raid conducted on Saturday.
The officers seized the drug from the shelf belonging to the woman employee who subsequently confessed to possessing the drug. The police launched the inspection following a tip-off that these establishments, operating illicitly in the city, were not only providing wellness services but potentially serving as hubs for drug distribution. Many ayurvedic spas and massage centres, known for their therapeutic benefits, were found to be operating without qualified professionals or doctors, in violation of regulatory standards. Drug peddlers were using these establishments to engage with clients and distribute synthetic drugs.
The police will take further steps to close down the centres without a license. “The inspections will continue in the coming days and stringent action, including the shutting down of the shops, will be taken,” said a top official with the Kochi City police.
A preliminary report filed by the special branch of the Kochi City police, during Nagaraju Chakilam’s tenure as commissioner, highlighted the necessity for a strict monitoring system. At that time, nearly 80 illegal spas and massage clinics were found to be running in the city. Additionally, intelligence revealed the involvement of trafficking rackets bringing young girls from northeastern states to work in these facilities, promising attractive remuneration.
In a separate incident, excise officials seized 38g of MDMA, 2g of hashish oil, and 3g of ganja from Ashil Lenin, a 25-year-old resident of Kakkanad. Lenin was allegedly peddling ganja and synthetic drugs under the guise of running a massage parlour in Vyttila. Excise officials conducted raids at various locations in Kochi based on an alert about drug smuggling under the cover of massage parlours.