Thrissur (Kerala) | Police arrested seven persons, two of them women, in two connected cases in Thrissur district, officials said on Sunday.

They seized a total of 308 grams of MDMA after recovering part of the synthetic drug from the private parts of one of the women.

The operation began on Friday night when personnel from the Peechi police station intercepted a car at a vehicle checking post at Vaniyampara.

Finding the behaviour of the four occupants suspicious, the police conducted a detailed search and recovered two grams of MDMA concealed in the private parts of one of the two women.

The arrested were identified as Shifaz (26) of Kakkassery, Vidya (28) of Nenmeni, Jishnu (27) of Attayoor and Sreelakshmi (20) of Nambazhikad.

The District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force was informed and, during interrogation, the accused allegedly told investigators they were returning after attending a party at a resort in Muthalamada in Palakkad district, officials said.

Police said the investigation revealed that Shifaz had procured the drugs, and a search of his house under the Pavaratty station limits led to the seizure of 13 grams of MDMA.

During further investigation, police found that more narcotics had been removed from the house by Shifaz's friend Sumesh.

Police tracked Sumesh and identified two of his associates — Shabeer P A (37) of Thaikkad and Ansad (33) of Chavakkad.

Chavakkad police took the duo into custody and recovered 288.8 grams of MDMA from an aluminium fabrication shop at Thaikkad on Saturday.

Police later arrested Sumesh (25) in connection with the case.

A total of 308 grams of MDMA, valued at over Rs 15 lakh, was seized in the two cases registered at the Peechi and Chavakkad stations, officials said.

Police produced all seven accused before a court earlier in the day, which remanded them to judicial custody.