In a significant crackdown on narcotics, the Udupi Town police have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly trafficking MDMA, seizing drugs, cash, and a vehicle with a total estimated value of Rs 3.2 lakh.
Dramatic Arrest Near Shivalli Village
Acting on specific intelligence and under the direct guidance of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Prabhu DT, a police team led by Udupi Town Police Inspector Mahesh Prasad conducted a swift operation. The team successfully apprehended the accused, identified as Abdul Rauf, a 26-year-old resident of Shivalli village, near the area of Karamballi Rambettu within the same village.
The arrest was made while Rauf was allegedly attempting to sell the banned psychotropic substance directly from an autorickshaw, which he was using as a mobile point of sale.
Substantial Haul Recovered in Raid
The police search following the arrest yielded a substantial haul of illicit materials. The seized items include:
- Approximately 7.6 grams of MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), with a street value estimated at around Rs 15,000.
- Cash amounting to Rs 3,100, which investigators believe is proceeds from recent drug sales.
- The autorickshaw used in the alleged illicit activity.
The combined value of the confiscated drugs, cash, and the three-wheeler has been pegged at Rs 3.2 lakh, marking a significant seizure for the local police force.
Legal Action Under Strict Narcotics Law
Following the operation, the Udupi Town police station has registered a formal case against Abdul Rauf. The charges have been framed under the stringent sections 8(c) and 22(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Section 8(c) pertains to prohibition on production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transport, warehousing, use, consumption, import inter-State, export inter-State, import into India, export from India or transhipment of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Section 22(b) specifically deals with punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances, which covers MDMA.
This arrest underscores the continued vigilance of the Udupi police against the drug trade in the region. The successful operation, led by Inspector Mahesh Prasad under DSP Prabhu DT's supervision, sends a strong message about the authorities' commitment to curbing the distribution of illegal substances in the coastal district.
