In a major effort to dismantle drug trafficking in Kollam district, the city police registered 96 drug-related cases across various stations in 2024. The authorities arrested 151 individuals and made significant seizures of MDMA and ganja, with an estimated total value of over Rs 50 lakh.
The drug seizures included 409.255 grams of MDMA, valued at Rs 5,000 per gram, and 81.009 kilograms of ganja, worth approximately Rs 40,000 per kilogram. Additionally, six vehicles, including five two-wheelers and one car, were seized during the crackdown.
The police categorized the 96 cases as follows: 14 cases were related to smuggling drugs on a commercial scale, 22 cases involved possession of quantities between small and commercial amounts, and the remaining 60 cases involved small quantities.
The largest MDMA seizure took place on August 23, when Vinesh, 42, from Mayyanad, was arrested near Kollam Beach by Kollam East police, with 94.513 grams of MDMA worth Rs 5 lakh.
The most significant ganja seizure occurred at Skylab Junction in Oachira, where police intercepted a car and confiscated 30 kilograms of ganja. The arrests included Kumar, 28, from Neendakara, Shaibur Raj, 35, from Chavara Madappally, Vishnu, 26, Jeevan Sha, 29, and Pramod, 32, from Panmana. During investigations, police tracked and arrested Naba Kishor, an Odisha native, who had been supplying ganja to various states. He was later apprehended in Odisha.
In a related case, a Nigerian national, Okwuduli Mimri, involved in commercial drug trafficking to Kerala and other states, was arrested based on information provided by an accused. Mimri had been operating out of Bengaluru and was linked to a significant drug trafficking network.
The Kollam city police have made significant strides in curbing the drug menace in the region, with their ongoing efforts to dismantle networks and prevent the spread of illicit drugs in the state.
