Kochi Excise Operations Lead to Four Arrests in MDMA Racket
Excise officials in Kochi have arrested four people in two separate operations linked to a drug racket allegedly smuggling MDMA from Delhi to Kerala. According to officials, the arrests came after a tip-off and follow-up investigations, with a total of 279.3 grams of MDMA recovered from the accused.
In the first operation, excise officials from the Ernakulam Range arrested two people, including an 18-year-old woman, from a luxury hotel in Kaloor, recovering 49.3 grams of MDMA. Joint Excise Commissioner S Vinod Kumar, who spoke to reporters, said that interrogation of these two led to information about a wholesale dealer named Varun Dev, who allegedly trafficked MDMA into Kerala.
"Upon arresting and interrogating the two individuals, information was received regarding a person named Varun Dev, a wholesale dealer who traffics MDMA into Keralam," Kumar said. Acting on information that Dev and an associate were arriving in Ernakulam district on Saturday and that a deal was likely to take place, officials conducted a search.
Vehicle Interception and Second Seizure
On Saturday, excise officials intercepted a vehicle in the Vyttila area after it got caught in a traffic block. A search of the vehicle revealed 230 grams of MDMA and three grams of hashish oil hidden in a secret compartment built under the steering wheel. The two occupants were identified as Varun Dev, 35, and Vipin S Kumar, 30, both from Pathanamthitta district, and were arrested.
Dev has been described by officials as a wholesale dealer. A report by The Times of India, which focused on Dev's arrest, offered additional details, saying the vehicle was intercepted in the Vyttila area after a chase and that the occupants initially refused to open the doors. That report also put the quantity recovered from the vehicle at 232 grams, slightly higher than the figure given by other sources, and said the earlier Kaloor raid was led by excise inspector Abhiraj.
In total, officials said six mobile phones and Rs 69,500 in cash were recovered from the accused. Kumar confirmed, "Thus, a total of four accused have been arrested by us now. Six mobile phones and ₹69,500 in cash have also been recovered from their possession."
Alleged Modus Operandi and Targeting of Young People
Officials described the group's alleged method as involving travel to Delhi in a Mahindra Thar SUV and using women as carriers to bring the contraband back to Kerala for retailing. "Their modus operandi involves travelling to Delhi in this Mahindra Thar SUV, using women as carriers to bring the contraband in the vehicle to Keralam, and then retailing it here," Kumar said.
Kumar also highlighted that the group was targeting young people. He noted that the 18-year-old woman arrested in the first case would only turn 19 in November this year. "So, they have a method of trapping young girls like this and using them for drug smuggling and drug trade. This is something that requires serious attention," he said.
The Times of India provided additional context on the Kaloor arrests, identifying the two arrested there as Siddiq, 27, of Paravur and an 18-year-old woman from Pachalam. According to that report, the two had allegedly brought the MDMA for sale at drug parties during the Onam season and reportedly told investigators the drug was purchased from Dev.
Legal Consequences and Prior Record
Kumar said one of the arrested persons had previously been caught with drugs by the police. Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, cases involving commercial quantities carry a minimum sentence of 10 years, which can extend up to 20 years, according to officials cited in multiple reports.
The investigation remains ongoing, with officials continuing to question the accused about the network and its operations.