Police have arrested a granite crusher unit manager, allegedly a key player in Wayanad's ganja trade, and his associate, and seized 24.164 kg of the contraband from the manager's office near Sulthan Bathery.

The prime accused has been identified as Ebi Elias (35) of Pelakkudy House, Puthankunnu, Makkutti, near Sulthan Bathery. His alleged associate, T R Nidhun, alias Puttu (35) of Thekkumkattil House, Puthankunnu, was also arrested.

According to a police communique issued on Tuesday, Ebi allegedly sourced ganja from Odisha and distributed it through a network of local retailers.

Police said Ebi had earlier been arrested with more than 1 kg of ganja during a vehicle inspection near Makkutti Bridge. His interrogation reportedly led investigators to a larger stock concealed in his office at a granite crusher unit in Kolagapara.

A police team raided the premises on Monday evening and recovered 12 packets containing 24.164 kg of ganja, which had been concealed in a trolley bag inside the manager's office.

During a subsequent raid at Nidhun's residence in Makkutti, police recovered another 7 grams of ganja.

Police said Ebi had maintained a network of retailers to distribute the contraband brought from Odisha across Wayanad. More arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.

The operation was jointly conducted by special squads attached to the Sulthan Bathery Deputy Superintendent of Police's office, the District Anti-Narcotics Wing and the Sulthan Bathery police station.

Ebi was produced before the Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery and remanded to judicial custody.

The operation was monitored by Narcotics and Gender Justice Deputy Superintendent of Police T Manoharan and Sulthan Bathery DySP M Abdul Karim. Sulthan Bathery Circle Inspector Biju Antony and other police personnel were also part of the team.