Kozhikode (Keralam) | A youth who allegedly posed as a police Sub-Inspector, seized narcotic drugs from peddlers and later sold them, was arrested here, police on Friday said.

The accused was identified as Rojith, a native of Chungam Kallithod near Feroke in this district, they said.

Complaints had been mounting from various parts of Kozhikode city that a person claiming to be a Sub Inspector was extorting money from youths, following which the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) began an investigation, police said Acting on specific information received during surveillance, the DANSAF team, along with Feroke police, apprehended Rojith at Vaidyarangadi in Ramanattukara on Thursday night, police said.

According to police, the accused used to conduct searches at various locations while posing as a DANSAF officer and seize illegal drugs, particularly MDMA.

He would then allegedly sell the seized drugs to buyers, making large financial transactions and earning substantial profits, police said.

Officials said that he also extorted money from people whom he caught with drugs.

Though only 2.5 grams of MDMA was recovered from him at the time of his arrest, he had allegedly possessed and sold contraband to several buyers in Kozhikode city, police said.

Handcuffs, an air pistol, fake police identity cards and passport-size photographs of Rojith wearing a police uniform were also seized during the search, police said.

The investigation is being expanded to trace his financial transactions, bank accounts and other possible links with drug peddlers, they said.