Mananthavady: Wayanad Excise officials arrested two Malappuram natives on Sunday morning in connection to the recent narcotics smuggling through the Tholpetti checkpost. The accused, Vettikkadan Salih (35) and Abdul Khader (38), both from Tirur, were caught trafficking 2 kg of ganja and 200 grams of MDMA disguised as a parcel sent via a Thiruvananthapuram-bound private bus from Karnataka.

A GPS tracker was hidden in the parcel, enabling Salih to track it while travelling in another bus. Based on information shared with the Tirur Excise team, the parcel, addressed to Khader in Tirur, was intercepted. Circle Inspector K Ajayan and his team apprehended Khader as he attempted to collect the parcel from a courier service. During questioning, Khader disclosed Salih’s role, leading to Salih’s arrest from his residence.

The Excise team also seized the accused's mobile phones as part of the investigation. After a medical examination, both suspects were presented before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Mananthavady on Sunday evening and remanded to judicial custody.