In a significant crackdown on New Year's Eve, the Thiruvananthapuram police apprehended seven individuals, including a medical professional and a dental student, for alleged involvement in a drug distribution network. The raid led to the seizure of narcotics like MDMA, hybrid cannabis, and ganja.
Dramatic Chase and Raid
The operation unfolded after police received a tip-off about a group that had arrived in the city to peddle drugs. Law enforcement officials first intercepted the accused while they were travelling in a car. However, in a bold attempt to flee, the suspects rammed their vehicle into a police jeep and managed to escape temporarily.
This prompted the police to alert the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (Dansaf) teams from Attingal and Nedumangad. Acting on the shared intelligence, the teams tracked the culprits to a rented house located in Kaniyapuram. A joint operation was swiftly launched, surrounding the property and conducting a raid during the night.
Seizures Point to Organized Racket
The police confiscated a substantial cache of evidence from the raided premises. Alongside the drugs, authorities seized two cars, two bikes, and ten mobile phones. Investigators highlighted that the unusually high number of mobile phones strongly indicated the arrested individuals were operating an organized drug racket.
Preliminary investigations suggest the accused were allegedly sourcing narcotics from Bengaluru and distributing them to students in the region. The police had intensified checks and raids based on specific inputs to curb drug peddling activities around the New Year celebrations.
Profile of the Arrested
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Vignesh, a doctor from Attakulangara.
- Heleena, a BDS student from Kottarakara.
- Avinash, an IT professional from Kollam.
- Ansiya from Palode.
- Harish from Kollam.
- Alleged drug racket members Assim and Ajith.
The presence of educated professionals and a student among the accused has raised serious concerns about the spread of substance abuse. The police are conducting further inquiries to unravel the full extent of the network and identify other potential links.
