Puttur: Police intercepted a vehicle allegedly transporting banned MDMA from Puttur towards Sullia on February 18 and arrested three persons after seizing 53.58 grams of the contraband valued at approximately ₹5,38,800. A lethal weapon and other materials were also recovered from the vehicle.
The accused have been identified as Mohammed Ajmal C alias Ajju (30) from Kozhikode, Kerala; Ismail (28) from Wayanad district, Kerala; and Sanseer (27) from Kozhikode, Kerala. According to police, the trio were travelling in a car when they were intercepted and subjected to inspection based on specific information.
MDMA, weapon and cash seized
During the search, police found 53.58 grams of MDMA, a banned synthetic drug, allegedly intended for sale. Officers also recovered a sword from the vehicle, which was described as a lethal weapon. In addition, mobile phones used for communication and ₹10,000 in cash were seized.
The total estimated value of the seized MDMA is around ₹5,38,800 in the illegal market. Police suspect that the accused were engaged in inter-state narcotics trafficking and were supplying drugs to customers in Kerala, Goa and Karnataka.
One car used for transportation of the contraband was also confiscated as part of the operation.
Case registered under NDPS and Arms Act
A case has been registered at Puttur Rural Police Station under Crime No. 25/2026 under Sections 8C, 22(C), and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and Section 25(1B)(B) of the Arms Act.
The accused have been taken into custody and produced before the court. Further investigation is under way to trace the source of the MDMA and identify other persons involved in the network.
Police said the quantity seized falls under the commercial category, which carries stringent punishment under the NDPS Act if proven in court.
Previous criminal cases
Investigators revealed that cases have already been registered against the accused in Kozhikode, Kannur and Wayanad districts of Kerala. They were reportedly absconding in connection with those cases.
Mohammed Ajmal C alias Ajju is also an accused in Crime No. 04/2026 registered at Puttur Rural Police Station under Sections 8C and 21(b) of the NDPS Act, 1985. His associate Ismail has a narcotics trafficking case registered against him in Kozhikode district.
Police suspect that the group had established links with buyers and intermediaries across multiple states and were actively transporting synthetic drugs using vehicles to evade detection.
Coordinated police operation
The operation was carried out under the supervision of Puttur Sub-Division Deputy Superintendent of Police Pramod Kumar. The team included Puttur Rural Police Station Inspector Sunil Kumar, Dakshina Kannada District Special Branch Inspector Nanda Kumar, Sub-Inspectors Gunapala and Sushma J. Bhandari, along with special team members Adram, Prashanth Rai, Prashanth M., Praveen Rai, Harshith and other staff.
Additional support was provided by personnel including Parameshwara Gowda, Harish, Subrahmanya, Bheemasena, Bhavith Rai, Nagaraj, Karthik, district computer staff Divakar and Sampath, as well as home guards.
Police officials stated that intensified checks and intelligence-based operations are being conducted across the district to curb the flow of synthetic drugs and prevent youth from falling prey to substance abuse.
Crackdown on narcotics
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to cracking down on narcotics trafficking and dismantling inter-state drug networks. They urged the public to share information about suspicious activities related to drug peddling.
With the arrest of the three accused and seizure of commercial quantity MDMA, police believe they have dealt a significant blow to a suspected supply chain operating across southern states.
Further investigation is expected to uncover additional links and financial transactions connected to the case.