Kochi: The Kochi City Police has seized amphetamine, known as ‘The dead drug’ and banned by several countries, worth over Rs 15 lakh and arrested a Kozhikode native in this regard.
“The seizure of amphetamine, a neural stimulant used as an aphrodisiac and a euphoria-inducing drug, was effected for the first time in the state. Usually the costly drug is used by international drug mafia as it is the base compound for making other popular psychotropic party drugs such as ecstasy and meth crystals,” a senior police officer said.
Muhammed Wasir (26), a native of North Beypore, Kozhikode, was arrested by a joint team of Shadow and Central Police which seized over 350 amphetamine tablets from him.
“During initial probe, we found the accused a member of a Dubai-based racket which used to smuggle cocaine and brown sugar to Goa and Kerala. We’re tracing another Kozhikode native working in Dubai who had handed over the drugs to Wasir,” the officer said.
In August last, several persons including two women who attended a rave party in Goa titled ‘Freedom Blast’ died and the cops suspect the same was caused due to the drug overdose.
“The probe about the smuggling in of the dangerous drug started with the recent death of a youth in Kozhikode due to drug overdose. Then Kochi Deputy Commissioner of Police R Karuppasamy got a tip-off that the drugs would be used at a rave party held secretly in a three- star hotel in Kochi city,” the officer said.
The cops conducted a raid and took a Kochi native into custody and seized a few amphetamine tablets from him. During his interrogation, the special squad formed to probe the drug smuggling, got leads about Wasir.
“The chemical drug manufactured abroad was being smuggled to Goa via Dubai through flights and then to Kerala. A single strip containing 10 tablets cost over '50, 000. The accused used to sell the same here while travelling in luxury cars. Since the drug was not in use in the region, a secret rave party was held in the city two weeks back and the mafia supplied a few tablets for free,” the officer said.
