Kochi: The Kochi police have arrested two youths and seized 24 LSD stamps in two related narcotic raids on different parts of the city. The arrested are Vaishnav of Thanneermukkam in Alappuzha district and Athul Krishna of Elamakkara, Kochi. Both are aged 20. While eight LSD stamps were seized from Vaishnav, 16 were found from Athul. 

Additionally, a total of 61 LSD stamp papers and 8 gms of hashish oil were seized from Athul.

Vaishnav was arrested by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) during a raid in the early hours of Friday from Nettoor. He was nabbed based on a tip-off the police received.

The cops zeroed in on Athul after questioning Vaishnav. Athul was nabbed from his house at Elamakkara. Police said Athul supplied the narcotic substance to Vaishnav and both were involved in peddling synthetic drugs among youths. The police said they were investigating from where Athul sourced the contraband.

Vaishnav, according to police sources, was held hostage by Maoists in Andhra in 2023 when he went there to procure ganja from suppliers. He was released in a combined operation by the Panangad police and Andhra police. 

Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD, is a psychedelic drug. Police said it has been a while since LSD was seized from drug peddlers in the city. The raids were conducted as part of the police’s D-Hunt, a special drive targetting narcotics traffickers. The DANSAF operations were led by Kochi Narcotics ACP KA Abdul Salam.