Flow of suspected ganja into Kochi continues as seizures cross 120 kg in three months

Inter-State inflow of suspected ganja continues into Kochi city, if the frequent seizure of the contraband in large quantity are any indication.

More than 120 kg of suspected ganja has been seized from different parts of the city in a series of raids over the past three months. The seizure and related arrests of suspected peddlers, including inter-State migrant workers, have prompted an extensive probe to trace the supply chain and identify the local networks facilitating its distribution, the city police claim.

In the latest seizure, the Kochi City police recovered over 30 kg of ganja from a 22-year-old man in Kaloor. The accused, Abdul Hai Molla, a native of Murshidabad in West Bengal, allegedly travelled to Odisha to procure the contraband at a lower price before transporting it to Keralam for sale, according to the police. The raid was carried out by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force led by Assistant Commissioner (anti-narcotics) A. Ananthalal.

The youth was apprehended when he arrived in the city with the alleged consignment intended for distribution. Investigators suspect that he was a key link in a network transporting ganja from Odisha to Keralam and supplying it to wholesale dealers. “The Ernakulam North police have registered a case in connection with the seizure and started a detailed probe into the network involved in the crime. The investigators are trying to identify the intended recipients of the seized consignment, and more arrests are likely soon,” an officer with the anti-narcotic wing of the city police said.

The latest seizure follows a series of suspected ganja recoveries across the city since July. The contraband was seized from areas including Edappally, Kaloor, Kadavanthra, Manjummel, Eloor, Kalamassery, and Mattancherry. Individual seizures ranged from around 1 kg to more than 20 kg, indicating repeated attempts to bring sizeable consignments into the city.

The police have also detected cases involving other suspected narcotic substances, including MDMA and brown sugar, during the ongoing anti-drug campaign.