Udupi: The Padubidri Police have arrested a man for allegedly selling the banned narcotic substance ganja from a pan stall in Yermal village of Kaup taluk. During the operation, police seized 625.83 grams of ganja and produced the accused before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
The accused has been identified as Anil, who allegedly operated the illegal drug trade from Anil Pan Stall at Yermal in Bada village under the limits of Padubidri Police Station.
Raid conducted on credible information
According to the police, the raid was carried out after receiving credible information that ganja was being illegally sold from the pan stall.
Acting swiftly on the tip-off, a police team conducted a search of the premises and recovered 625.83 grams of ganja allegedly stored for illegal sale.
The seized narcotic substance was taken into police custody, and a case was registered against the accused under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Police said the investigation is continuing to ascertain the source of the contraband and determine whether the accused was part of a larger drug supply network.
Operation led by senior officers
The raid was conducted under the guidance of Karkala Sub-Division Deputy Superintendent of Police S. Vijayaprasad and Kaup Circle Inspector Azmath Ali.
The operation was led by Padubidri Police Station Police Sub-Inspectors Sakthivelu and Anil Kumar T. Nayak, with assistance from Assistant Sub-Inspector Girish U.R. and police personnel Krishnaprasad, Mithun, Sandesh Bhandary, Raghavendra, and other members of the police team.
Officials said coordinated intelligence gathering and prompt action led to the successful seizure of the narcotic substance.
SOCO team assists investigation
Officials from the Udupi District Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) unit visited the spot following the seizure.
The SOCO team examined the recovered ganja, documented the evidence and assisted the investigating officers in completing the necessary legal procedures at the scene.
Police said the involvement of the forensic team would strengthen the investigation and ensure that evidence was properly recorded.
Accused remanded to judicial custody
Following his arrest, the accused was produced before the jurisdictional court.
The court remanded him to judicial custody, while further investigation into the case is underway.
Police are continuing efforts to trace the origin of the seized ganja and ascertain whether additional persons are involved in the illegal trade.
The Udupi Police have reiterated their commitment to curbing narcotics-related offences and appealed to the public to share information about illegal drug activities to help strengthen enforcement efforts across the district.