Kochi: In the wake of large quantity of ganja being smuggled into the state via trains, the Anti-Narcotic Squad of the Kerala Police is expanding probe to neighbouring states and has sought help of its counterpart in Andhra Pradesh to track down rackets behind the smuggling act.
“Earlier ganja was locally cultivated and procured in places like Idukki but now banned narcotic substances are being smuggled into the state via trains in large quantity and Kochi is often the target destination. We’ve got specific information about ganja being cultivated in interior parts of Andhra Pradesh. A special squad will be sent to places like Visakhapatnam and interior areas near Hyderabad,” a senior officer said.
The latest measure comes in the wake of information received during interrogation of an Odisha native from whom high quality ganja weighing 22.5 kg was seized at the Ernakulam South railway station.
The probe is also on to a racket suspected to be actively supplying ganja to peddlers in state, especially Kochi, through middlemen. The consignment was meant for sale to school and college students among others, he said.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has formed a special squad to rein in smuggling of narcotics through trains apart from the 100-member strong Anti-Narcotic Squad headed by P Vijayan IPS.
“We’re questioning Anil Kumar Patra after a court sent him to five-day police custody. A police team will be sent to Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and also the native place of the arrested,” the officer said.
