In the last 48 hours, two attempts at smuggling narcotic substances, collectively the biggest haul raided this year in Kerala, were busted at the Olavakkode Railway Station in Palakkad.
A day after the crime intelligence unit of the Railway Protection Force arrested two Kannur natives with 5kg hashish oil, two youngsters from Kozhikode were nabbed with an even bigger haul.
Thiruvannur-native Ahamed Suhail and Kallai-native Alok were held with 7kg ganja and 3kg hashish, the total worth approximated to be Rs 6 crore.
According to reports, the duo was travelling in an AC coach pretending to be tourists returning home after visiting Kashmir, Haridwar and Rishikesh.
The narcotic substances were found hidden inside camping accessories and souvenirs from the various tourist destinations they had been to since leaving Kozhikode one-and-a-half months ago.
According to the RPF officers, the youngsters bought the narcotic substances from Visakhapatnam.
It is understood that the two were encouraged to try a bigger deal after succeeding in smuggling a smaller quantity of ganja for which they received a reward of Rs 1 lakh.
Incidentally, they are not drug users and while one of them is a BBA graduate, the other is reportedly an interior designer.
“We have intensified raids anticipating such smuggling attempts into Kerala ahead of the Independence Day and Onam, and will continue to thwart such illegal activities,” said N Kesavadas, CI, RPF.
