The Kunnathunadu police on Monday arrested three persons with 17 sacks of prohibited tobacco products worth ₹18 lakh.

The arrested were identified as Sharafudeen, 32, Raheem, 27, and Riyas, 23, all residents of Palakkad. The accused were carrying the banned products in vans in the guise of transporting vegetables. The sacks filled with tobacco products had been kept hidden under sacks of onion.

The accused were under the surveillance of the Kunnathunadu anti-narcotics squad formed by District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) Rahul R. Nair following information that they were engaged in smuggling tobacco products. The surveillance paid off as the squad intercepted the vehicles containing the contraband near Kummanod on Monday morning. The police took the vehicles into custody. On interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to have procured the banned tobacco products at cheap price from Bengaluru and then sold it for a margin in Ernakulam, Kottayam, and Idukki districts.

The squad led by Kunnathunadu Inspector V.S. Prasanth and comprising Sub Inspectors P.A. Shameer Khan and John, Assistant Sub Inspector Elias, and Civil Police Officers Manaf, Dinil, and Anoop made the arrest.

Ganja seized

The Vazhakkulam police on Tuesday arrested two persons on the charge of selling ganja and seized from them two packets of the contraband. The arrested were identified as Ajith Sabu, 20, of Kalloorkkad, and Akhil Vijayan, 25, of Madakkathanam.

They were picked up during the course of a special drive being carried out at the direction of the District Police Chief after receiving information that ganja sale was rampant among migrants and students in Vazhakkulam town and nearby areas.