KOCHI: The city police registered 37 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in a special combing operation held in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
A youth was apprehended from Puthukalavattom near Elamakkara with 508 g of MDMA. Muhamed Nishad, 38, of Maramuttom in Malappuram, was nabbed by a special DANSAF (District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force ) team led by Narcotic ACP Abdul Salam.
“The accused ran a drinking water business based in Aluva. A detailed inquiry as to the source of the drug and whether more persons are involved is progressing,” the police said.
Two Assamese natives were arrested by another police team in an inspection held in the Vyttila area, and brown sugar and ganja meant for sales seized from them.
The accused are Ainul Haque, 33, of Nogava district and Imran Ali, 26, a resident of Hojai, both in Assam. “Ten grams of brown sugar and 2.5 g of ganja were seized from them,” the police said.
Six people were held for alleged gambling after a team led by Cheranalloor police Inspector R Vinod held a surprise inspection at Al Saba Tourist Home at Thaikavu.
They are Tege K N, 41, of Ponekkara, Nazar P M, 46, of Kunnumpuram and Edappally residents Basheer K M, 53, Mansoor, 41, Najeeb M A, 46, and Raheem P H, 58. “A sum of Rs 42,890 and playing cards were seized from them,” the police said.
Apart, the police also registered 138 cases of drink driving and 22 cases under the Abkari Act during the combing operation held on the directive of City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya amid concerns over rising drug menace in the city. The commissioner said they will continue to hold such “intense actions” in the coming days.