1 week ago
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As part of tightening the noose around city-based drug rackets, the State Excise Enforcement Squad (SEES) has nabbed two persons, including the alleged kingpin of a major racket, and seized 10 grams of methamphetamine that goes by the name ‘Ice Meth.’
The arrested are Shabin Shaji, 26, of Manjummal and Akshay V.S., 27, of Choornikkara. They were allegedly part of the racket that went by the name ‘Manjummal Machan’. The accused were jointly nabbed by SESS, Excise intelligence, and Varapuzha Excise range officials.
According to Excise officials, Shabin, who was pursuing a merchant navy course in Rajasthan, had been sourcing the drug cheaply from a Punjab native and selling it in areas including Kalamassery, Eloor, and Manjummal.
A fortnight ago, SESS had nabbed two persons with 62 grams of methamphetamine, three kg of ganja, and 18 nitrazepam tablets from Chakkaraparambu near Vyttila. Interrogating them led Enforcement officials to Manjummal Machan on social media. Since then, a team led by SESS Chief Assistant Commissioner T. Anilkumar had been tracking phone call details and social medial accounts of the racket.
The team found out that the racket used to hand over the drugs to their clients on Manjummal Kadavu Road during midnight. The two arrested, who turned up at the spot around 1 a.m., allegedly attempted to flee on spotting officials but were chased down.
When nabbed, Shabin allegedly tried to swallow the drug in his possession, but the attempt was foiled by officials. Both were accused in another drug case charged by the Varapuzha Excise range.
‘Ice Meth,’ officials said, was much more dangerous than many synthetic drugs and was much in demand. When abused, it could tamper body temperature and cause fluctuating blood pressure, which could lead to heart attack and stroke.
“We have got information about others involved in the racket. More arrests will follow,” said Mr. Anilkumar.
Varapuzha range inspector M.P. Pramod, SESS preventive officer N.D. Tomy, Intelligence preventive officer N.G. Ajithkumar, Varapuzha range assistant excise inspector P.U. Rishikesh, preventive officer Aneesh K. Joseph, and civil excise officers Anoop S., Samaldev, and Thazia K.M. were part of the team.
