Mananthavady: The excise department has busted a drug smuggling racket that used nursing students in Bengaluru as carriers. An excise department team headed by Mananthavady Circle Inspector A Prajith arrested five youths and seized 204 gms of MDMA from their car during a vehicle check at Bavali Check post near Mananthavady on Tuesday evening during a combined operation of Wayanad Excise Intelligence Investigation Bureau, special squad under the Mananthavady circle office and the Bavaly check-post team. The drug was hidden under the steering wheel of the car using an insulation tape.
'' We felt something odd with the gang and the vehicle check was done on suspicion. Though we quizzed them several times, the gangsters refused to divulge any information. Later, after a prolonged search, our team members unearthed the hidden substance,'' said Circle Inspector Prajith.
They were planning to sell the drugs in Vythiri and Kalpetta focusing on colleges and tourism properties. According to officials, MDMA seizure cases involving students studying in Bengaluru are being reported more frequently. The agents lure the students with a decent commission and some of them act as carriers and consumers.
'' The agents purchase the stuff at Bengaluru and hand it over to the students who will get a commission for a luxurious city life. In addition, the students will get MDMA for their use and gradually they would metamorphose into seasoned smugglers and addicts,'' he said. Those arrested in connection with the incident were Kadalikkatt Veettil KM Faisal Razi, 32, a native of Chelode near Chunda, Puthukkandi Veettil Muhammed Asnul Shaduli, 23, a native of Muttil near Kalpetta, Anjiliveettil Sobin Kuriakkose, 23, a native of Puthoorvayal, Kalpetta, Vettilappara Pallathupara Veettil P A Muhammed Bava, 22, a native of Kothamangalam and Varikkunnu Delbil Shaji Joseph, 21, a native of Manimooli, Nilambur in Malappuram.
Among the youths, Delbin Shaji Joseph and Muhammed Bava were nursing students in Bengaluru, according to officials. Excise officials also seized the car from which the drug was seized. The total cost of the seized MDMA at Bengaluru was Rs 2 lakh and they were planning to sell it on retail at Rs 4000 per gram (total Rs 8,16,000) in the district.
The arrested persons were produced at Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I at Mananthavady. The excise team included excise preventive officers Johnny K, Jinosh P R, Anoop E, Ramachandran ATK, Ajayakumar KK, Excise officers Prince G Unnikrishnan, Sanoop K S and Driver Shimjith P..
