Excise officials arrested two persons with 90 nitrazepam tablets, a hypnotic drug prescribed for relief from anxiety and insomnia, from Aluva Bank Junction on Tuesday.
The arrested were identified as Sivaprasad aka Chamundi, 20, and Manwin aka Rambo, 22, both from Aluva. The accused, who were allegedly on a high from drugs, put up a stiff resistance and the excise sleuths had to use force to bring them under control.
Both of them were allegedly active in drug trade for long and were under the surveillance of the Aluva Range Excise team following a tip-off. They were picked up while waiting for potential clients.
The Excise shadow team led by Inspector T.K. Gopi made the arrest. “They used to source it from Selam in Tamil Nadu at a relatively cheap rate of ₹100 for a strip of ten tablets.
After smuggling it in, they sold it for four times that price among their clients in Aluva and nearby areas. They had a dedicated clientele ranging from college students to housewives since they delivered it at points of their clients’ convenience,” said Mr. Gopi.
Drug racket
Among the users, the nitrazepam tablets went by the pseudonyms padayappa and button.
The convenience of handling and consuming unlike other drugs was the reason why it was popular among youngsters.
The accused reportedly confessed to officials that a major drug racket was active in Salem and that many youngsters visited the place to buy drugs.
Holding upto 40 nitrazepam tablets is an offence punishable with imprisonment up to ten years. The accused reportedly resorted to drug trade to lead luxurious life and ensure easy access to drugs.
The Excise Department is gearing up to follow up the leads received from the confession of the accused and remains optimistic of making more arrests.
Earlier in April, the Aluva Range Excise Shadow team had arrested three persons with 13 grams of brown sugar and 110 grams of hashish oil.
Preventive Officers Abdul Kareem and Sajeev Kumar, shadow team members N.D. Tomy and N.G. Ajith Kumar and Civil Excise Officers Jibil and Neethu participated in the operation.