The Ernakulam Rural Police on Monday seized high-quality green hashish oil worth nearly ₹2 crore in the international market and arrested a 38-year old person in this connection.
The arrested was identified as Antony, 38, alias ‘Mattu Manoj’, a resident of Kambilikandom in Idukki. Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted his two-wheeler at Onnaam Mile at Perumbavoor, and on examination, they recovered hashish oil from his bag.
“Antony, a member of an international drug cartel, had been under police surveillance for nearly a month now. Even while in custody, he was receiving calls from foreign countries. The seized drug is of high quality with a gram of the contraband costing from $50 to $150 in the international market,” said Vijay Sakkare, Inspector General of police (Kochi Range).
Operation Honeybomb
The arrest was part of Operation Honeybomb, launched close on the heels of seizing 117 kg of ganja at Perumbavoor four months ago.
“The police had contacted the accused posing as film crew through middlemen and asked for hashish oil. The gang supplied test dose which proved to be of high quality on inspection. Following this, a bulk order was placed and the gang members were put under observation. Finally, the accused was arrested at 8 a.m. when he was bringing the stuff from Idukki to Ernakulam,” the officer said.
Earlier in May 2017, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized hashish oil worth ₹5 crore from a house at Adimali in Idukki.
Rise in cases
There has been a huge rise in narcotic cases being reported from the Ernakulam rural region of late. In 2017 alone, the police here registered 1,104 cases relating to drug peddling and seized over 200 grams of ganja , in addition to brown sugar and hashish oil.
