Synthetic drug trafficking: Excise arrests seven more in Keralam’s Kozhikode

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A special investigation team (SIT) of the Excise department has arrested seven more persons following the seizure of nearly 3 kg of MDMA from a car at Pantheerankavu in Kozhikode. The investigation team members said the latest arrests helped them uncover the operation of an international drug network with links to Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.

The arrested are C.P. Umar Farooq, 36, Muhammad Mustafa, 28, K.K. Hiran, 31, Aromal Omanakkuttan, 22, M. Ramsiya, 26, Nechikkattil Noushad, 49, and Sandeesh Mohan Valappil, 27. They were arrested following an intensive search by the special squad across the five States.

It was on April 23 that the Excise squad exposed the alleged MDMA smuggling attempt and nabbed the first two accused, P.K. Shafeek and Fathima Nasrin, with the contraband and a car. The seven others linked to the two were identified following the interrogation of the car owner. His call detail records and bank transaction documents also helped the squad zero in on the other suspects. All the suspects were found to have been involved in various narcotics cases.

Excise officials said two more suspects, including a Nigerian national, Immanuel Afam, 46, were identified during the intensified probe. A lookout notice would be issued soon to track down the Nigerian national, who reportedly had opened a drug kitchen in India and coordinated the regional supply, they added.

According to the SIT members, they travelled around 15,000 km across four States to nab the suspects who were at large. They examined nearly 8,000 calls, more than 50 mobile phones, 160 tower locations, 30 bank accounts and around 100 social media accounts as part of the probe. Flash inspections were conducted at eight houses and five lodges, which led to the seizure of 24 grams of MDMA, 13 mobile phones and other digital evidence to support the probe, they said.

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