Two kg of MDMA worth Rs 5 crore seized, 2 held

KOCHI: The Rural police on Saturday seized 2 kg of chemical drug MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) worth Rs 5 crore from two persons, which officers claimed was one of the biggest drug hauls effected in the state.  Sivaprasad, 29, (Syam) of Vadakkevila, Vaaranattu, Cherthala and Abid, 33,  ‘CK’, Thalipparambu in Angamaly were the duo arrested in this connection. Officers said that the accused had smuggled 2 kg of MDMA in their pick-up van from Chennai.

The police also seized the pick-up van in which they tried to smuggle the product. The seizure was made on the basis of a tip-off received by Rural police chief K Karthick. The MDMA was smuggled after concealing it under the seat of the vehicle. “Based on the tip-off, we conducted  a drive at Angamaly on Saturday evening.

As expected, the duo landed in our net. We have already launched a probe to find out how they managed to bring the drug from Chennai. Since MDMA is not a locally produced drug, we will also probe their connections, “ said Karthick.

Though the police said that they were yet to receive any indication that the drug was meant for those in the top rungs of society, a source confirmed that the drug was brought from Chennai for the benefit of business people and those in the movie industry.

“The demand for addictive substances during lockdown in the state is high compared to the normal times. There are many takers for these drugs, including those occupying  top positions, “ said a police source.  MDMA costs Rs 20,000 per 1 gram in the local market while it is sold for double the price internationally.