Malappuram (Kerala) | Two men were caught near Perinthalmanna here with over 165 kilograms of cannabis that they allegedly brought to Kerala from the neighbouring state of Karnataka by road, police said on Wednesday.

The men were apprehended on Tuesday based on a tip-off received by the police that some persons were going to smuggle drugs into the state via road, an officer of Perinthalmanna police station said.

The search of the vehicle, carrying Karnataka registration plates, led to the seizure of over 165 kg cannabis in several brown paper packages, police said.

"They were bringing the drugs from Bengaluru by road. One accused hails from Palakkad, while the other belongs to Wayanad. They have several other criminal cases against them," the officer said.

The officer also said the two persons would be produced before the court during the day.

On Sunday, Excise officials had seized 155 kilograms of cannabis and 61 grams of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a synthetic drug, from a vehicle and house at Pallithura area of the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram.

Four men were arrested in the case. They had brought the drugs via road from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.