Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Excise Minister M B Rajesh on Friday directed authorities to intensify the ongoing crackdown on narcotics, revealing that the department conducted 3,568 raids between March 5 and 12, seizing drugs worth Rs 1.9 crore.
In an official release, he stated that the ongoing Operation Clean Slate, initially scheduled to conclude on March 12, has been extended by another week.
The Kerala Excise department launched Operation Clean Slate, a special drive to combat drug trafficking amid a surge in drug-related cases.
As part of the drive, the department conducted 3,568 raids over eight days, between March 5 and 12, including 50 joint inspections with the police, forest, and motor vehicle departments, according to Rajesh, who also handles the Local Self-Government and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios.
During this period, 33,709 vehicles were inspected, leading to the registration of 554 drug-related cases.
A total of 570 individuals were booked, 555 of whom were arrested, while 27 vehicles used for drug trafficking were seized. The department also confiscated drug products worth Rs 1.9 crore, the release said.
Targeted checks were carried out at 998 school premises, 282 bus stands, 104 labour camps, and 89 railway stations. Additionally, 26 absconding accused were arrested, it added.
Minister Rajesh held discussions with Excise Commissioner Mahipal Yadav regarding the progress of enforcement activities and directed officials to enhance surveillance at schools, colleges, bus stands, and railway stations.
He also emphasised the need to curb the distribution of drug-laced sweets among students and lauded the Excise Department for its efforts in tackling drug-related offences.
During the crackdown, authorities seized 64.46 g of MDMA, 25.84 g of methamphetamine, 39.56 g of heroin, 14.5 g of brown sugar, 12.82 g of nitrazepam tablets, 113.63 kg of cannabis, 14.8 kg of ganja-infused chocolates, 96.8 g of cannabis-laced bhang, 29.7 g of hashish oil, and 20 g of charas, the release said.
Additionally, 10,430 litres of spirit, 931.64 litres of illicit foreign liquor, 3,048 litres of wash, 82 litres of liquor, and 289.66 kg of tobacco products were also seized in the drive, the release added.
Kozhikode (Kerala) | Two Tanzanian nationals, allegedly key operatives in an inter-state drug trafficking network, have been arrested from Punjab in connection with a major drug case in Kerala, police said on Friday.
The accused, identified as David Nteme (22) and Atka Haruna (21), are students at a university in Punjab.
Their arrests followed crucial information provided by two individuals previously arrested in a case registered by the Kunnamangalam police, officials said.
The case first came to light with the arrest of Ibrahim Musamil (27), a native of Manjeswaram, Kasaragod, and Abhinav (24), a resident of Velliparamba, Kozhikode, on January 21, police said.
During their interrogation, investigators took them to Bengaluru on February 4 for evidence collection.
A search was conducted at the lodge where the accused had stayed, and details of their associates were gathered. Further scientific investigations led officers to their co-accused, police added.
On February 12, police tracked down Mohammed Shamil, the third accused, in Mysuru and took him into custody near a hotel close to Vrindavan Garden.
Further scrutiny of financial transactions revealed that a large sum of money had been transferred to David Nteme’s bank account. Investigators found that the money was withdrawn in Noida through an account belonging to Atka Haruna, police said.
Following this lead, officers traced the suspects to Phagwara, Punjab, where they were residing as paying guests near their college.
A special investigation team then reached Phagwara and arrested them from their rented accommodation, police said.
Officials further stated that they would verify the claim of one of the accused that he is the son of a judge in Tanzania.
The accused will be produced before the court on Friday, they added.
"A detailed investigation will be conducted after taking them into police custody," police said.
The operation was led by Medical College Assistant Commissioner of Police Umesh A, under the supervision of Kozhikode City Deputy Commissioner of Police Arun K Pavithran, police said.