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The Hindu
10-07-2025
- The Hindu
Woman YouTuber among three arrested with suspected MDMA
A popular woman YouTuber was among the three persons who were arrested by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) of the Kochi City police during two separate raids reportedly with nearly 25 grams of suspected MDMA in the early hours of Thursday (July 10, 2025). In the first case, Yasar Arafath, 34, and Rincy Mumtaz, 32, both from Kozhikode, were nabbed from Palachuvadu near Kakkanad. Allegedly, 20.55 grams of suspected MDMA were seized from them. Rincy, a popular YouTuber, used her profile to allegedly distribute drugs. The two were partners in the drug trade, said the police. The duo reportedly used a flat at Palachuvadu rented in the name of Rincy for drug trade. The police received information about the steady flow of visitors to the flat leading to the raid. In another raid, the police seized 2.80 grams of suspected MDMA and 26.24 grams of ganja from a man from Mattummal near Cheranalloor. The accused was identified as Muhammed Rafeeq, 28, of Punalur in Kollam. All the arrested were key elements in selling drugs among youngsters, the DANSAF said. The city police have registered several cases under the ongoing 'Operation D Hunt' of the Kerala Police. The DANSAF team led by Narcotics Cell Assistant Commissioner K.A. Abdul Salam made the arrests. Suspected ganja seized A special squad under the Perumbavoor Assistant Superintendent of Police arrested a man with 1.30 kilograms of suspected ganja. The arrested man was identified as Elam Shikh, 29, of Murshidabad in West Bengal. He had been on the police radar and allegedly sold ganja in small quantities for ₹500 per satchel. After running a shop in Bengal Colony, Perumbavoor, for around two years, he allegedly turned to the ganja trade. The police seized a weighing machine and several satchels from him. He primarily targeted migrant workers, according to the police.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- The Hindu
Drug trafficking: Kozhikode city police nab 1,603 suspects in six months
Heightened vigilance and sustained patrol efforts by the Kozhikode city police, with the support of the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF), led to the arrest of 1,603 suspects, including three foreign nationals and 58 people from outside Kerala, in the past six months. According to the latest statistics from the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB), a total of 1,505 narcotic cases were registered during this period. Officers with the anti-narcotics squad said 31 of these cases involved the seizure of drugs in commercial quantities. 'The total seizure included 102.55 kg of ganja, 2.61 kg of MDMA and 1.033 kg of hashish oil, reportedly brought in to target young drug users. This was apart from the recovery of smuggled LSD stamps, brown sugar and tranquilliser drugs,' they said. Apart from routine checks, Operation D-Hunt, a State-wide crackdown on drug peddlers, was a major success in Kozhikode city. The police registered 1,118 cases and arrested 1,170 suspects as part of the drive. The operation also led to the seizure of 60 kg of ganja, 1.04 kg of MDMA, and 1.033 kg of hashish oil, said a senior officer who compiled the data for the DCRB. He said that police squads from the Kunnamangalam, Nadakkavu, Kozhikode Town, and Feroke stations made significant breakthroughs in seizing MDMA, one of the most dangerous synthetic drugs, and apprehending key traffickers. One of the major achievements during the six-month drive was the arrest of an 11-member drug peddling gang with international links. The gang played a key role in distributing synthetic drugs among youngsters in Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Malappuram districts, according to anti-narcotics squad members. In the case registered at Kunnamangalam police station, officers arrested a Nigerian national and two Tanzanian citizens who allegedly coordinated the synthetic drug trade in India. They were said to be operating a well-connected network of local traffickers and international agents. All 11 suspects were arrested within three months, police sources said. Updated data on drug seizures also revealed that most non-Keralite drug peddlers arrested in Kozhikode with smuggled ganja hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. They had arrived in the city for odd jobs and roadside businesses, and primarily targeted migrant workers. The police sources said other suspects were found focusing on students, using synthetic drugs reportedly smuggled in from Bengaluru.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Time of India
208g of MDMA seized in Kochi city, key supplier held
1 2 3 Kochi: In a major crackdown on synthetic drug trafficking, the Kochi City Police seized more than 208g of MDMA and arrested multiple suspects, including a key supplier operating in the city. The primary accused, Amal George Shenson (33), a resident of Cheranalloor, was nabbed with 203.7g of MDMA during a raid at a lodge near Athani Junction in Kakkanad. The operation followed a tip-off received by city police commissioner P Puttavimaladitya. The raid was executed by the narcotics cell under the supervision of deputy commissioners Aswathi Jiji and Juvvanapudi Mahesh, with assistant commissioner Abdul Salam and the DANSAF team leading the action. Investigations revealed that Amal sourced MDMA in bulk from Bengaluru and distributed it across Ernakulam district using intermediaries, including women and youngsters. He allegedly used others' Wi-Fi connections to avoid digital tracking and was under police surveillance for several weeks. In related operations, Hill Palace Police arrested Harikrishnan E S (28) from Udayamperoor with 2.17g of MDMA and 2.85g of hashish oil. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Another suspect, Sahal Yusaf (23) from Edathala, Aluva, was caught with 2.79g of MDMA from a hotel room near St Antony's Church Road, Kakkanad. Man gets 5-yr jail for assaulting youth The Muvattupuzha Assistant Sessions Court sentenced a 44-year-old man to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 for assaulting a youth. The convict, Abhilash, a resident of Thodupuzha, was found guilty in connection with a case registered at the Koothattukulam police station in Jan 2012. The incident involved the stabbing and injuring of a youth named Vishnu, a native of Kozhipilly. The attack was carried out allegedly due to personal enmity following a quarrel during a wedding function. The investigation was conducted by sub-inspector V S Anilkumar, who also filed the chargesheet. Govt pleader Sabu Joseph Chalil appeared for prosecution.
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Flash inspections under way against banned tobacco products
Noticing a spike in the sale of banned tobacco products, the police have intensified flash inspections in various wayside shops located closer to schools and colleges in Kozhikode. Cafes, cool bars, and eateries in several locations have also been brought under surveillance following confidential complaints from the school authorities and parents. Along with the local police, special squads from the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) and Crime Squad members under the District Police Chiefs will take part in flash inspections. The Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police are also alert to attempts to smuggle banned tobacco products by train. 'As migrant workers have been found associated with the bulk retail of smuggled tobacco products, their temporary accommodations will be inspected frequently with the support of the local police. The building owners have also been asked to be watchful of any illegal activities by tenants,' said a police officer from the Anti-Narcotics squad. He added that students' support would be sought to help identify local traders of banned tobacco products. According to DANSAF officers, they had carried out multiple raids in several suspected spots ahead of the school reopening in the district. There were also considerable seizures from some of the suspected spots apart from the arrest of the carriers, they said. Meanwhile, the district administration announced a new project to declare all educational institutions tobacco-free zones by June 30. The campaign with the mission would be carried out in view of the upcoming 'World No Tobacco Day'. A district-level meeting with the heads of various government departments was also held at the Collectorate recently to plan the project execution. 'We have decided to start the activities by launching a 'Yellow Line Campaign', which will ensure the participation of students and teachers in forming a human chain within a 100-metre radius of schools. The purpose is to reiterate that the area is a no-tobacco zone,' said a senior Revenue department official. He added that the formation of school-level vigilance committees, awareness classes against tobacco use, and the erection of anti-tobacco boards in public places would be carried out as part of the aggressive campaign.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- The Hindu
Two men spend five months in jail after police mistake rock sugar for MDMA
A new job opportunity turned into a harrowing five-month ordeal for two men, who were wrongfully jailed on charge of possessing MDMA, only to be released after a test report revealed that the seized substance was rock sugar. Manikandan, 46, of Kannur and Biju Mathew of Kolichal in Kasaragod, were arrested on November 26, 2024, by the Nadakavu police in Kozhikode. Officers with the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) allegedly found 58 grams of white powder in Mr. Manikandan's pocket and assumed that it was MDMA. Despite their claims that the powder was only rock sugar, the two were booked and remanded. With the chemical report pending, their pleas for bail were rejected. It was only on the 151st day of remand that the chemical analysis confirmed what they had maintained all along — the substance was not a narcotic. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Mathew described the experience as a nightmare that has scarred him for life. 'Those days in jail felt endless. I kept thinking of my mother, who was all alone,' he said. 'A nightmare' Mr. Mathew said he and Mr. Manikandan, both drivers and friends for long, had met at the Kanhangad railway station on November 24 and travelled to Kozhikode to pursue a job opening. 'We rented a room and had liquor with rock sugar as as side dish. When we went downstairs for dinner, the DANSAF team surrounded us and took us into custody,' he said. 'They found the rock sugar in Manikandan's pocket. They refused to listen to us and insisted that it was MDMA.' he said. Only months later did the forensic laboratory's report prove their innocence, prompting the Vadakara NDPS court to order their release. However, exoneration has brought little comfort. 'People treated us like criminals. My relatives refused to speak to me,' Mr. Mathew said. With no job and no income, and severe emotional damage to boot, his life after release has been difficult and he has chosen to tell the story so as to clear his name. When asked about legal action against the officials who falsely implicated him, he said he did not have the means to fight a case. 'But I want people to know the truth.' Attempts to contact Mr. Manikandan were met with silence. But Mr. Mathew said his friend suffered just as much. 'His daughter had to stop her nursing studies since they could not pay her fee while he was in jail,' he said. DANSAF version A senior DANSAF officer, on condition of anonymity, said the duo were arrested based on credible intelligence. 'According to our sources, they came to Kozhikode to purchase MDMA, but were duped and were sold rock sugar instead,' the officer said. He claimed the duo admitted to this during interrogation. 'Once the lab results were out, they changed their version of events,' the officer added.
