Kochi youth arrested with large quantity of sedative-hypnotic drug

Kochi: In a joint operation conducted by the State Excise Enforcement Squad, Ernakulam Excise Intelligence, and the Ernakulam Special Squad, a youth was arrested here for possessing 75 tablets of zolpidem, a potent psychotropic drug.
The accused has been identified as Muhammed Aman (21), a resident of Mattanchery. According to the press release, this is the first time such a large quantity of zolpidem has been seized in Kerala.

Zolpidem is a sedative-hypnotic drug typically prescribed for psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder, insomnia, anxiety, and paranoia. It is available in only a few medical shops and is sold with a triple prescription.

Excise officials also confiscated the phone used by Aman to facilitate sales. They revealed that Aman sold each tablet to customers for Rs 100, while its actual price is merely Rs 9. Illegally possessing more than 10 grams of the drug can result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Aman had 15 grams in his possession.

Officials further stated that Aman had borrowed money from relatives under the pretext of participating in a powerlifting event but squandered it. Subsequently, he was employed at a family-owned medical shop at his request.

However, he stole prescription medicines from the shop and sold them to drug addicts at inflated prices. He also attracted new customers by offering a free tablet.
According to officials, the abuse of zolpidem can lead to hypertension, damage to the nervous system, and heart attacks.